In Defense of the Us Working Class

by Mary-Alice Waters

"Without understanding the devastation of the lives of working-class families in regions like West Virginia, and the vast increase in class inequality since the 2008 crisis, you can't understand what's happening in the United States." A giant has begun to stir. Hillary Clinton calls them "deplorables" who inhabit "backward" regions between New York and San Francisco. But tens of thousands of teachers and school employees from West Virginia, Oklahoma, and beyond set an example in 2018 with their victorious strikes. Working people across Florida mobilized and won restoration of voting rights to more than one million former prisoners. Drawing on the best fighting traditions of the oppressed and exploited producers of all skin colors and national origins in the US, they fought for dignity and respect for themselves, their families, and for all working people. "Erudite, thoughtful and thought-provoking, In Defense of the US Working Class is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, community, and academic library..."--Midwest Book Review.

96 pages, Paperback

Published October 19, 2021

About the author

Socialist feminist, journalist and activist in the United States.

Waters became involved in Trotskyist politics at a young age, and joined the Socialist Workers Party (SWP) in the 1960s. She became the editor of their youth paper, Young Socialist, and the national secretary of the Young Socialist Alliance.

In the early 1980s, Waters, along with Jack Barnes and others in the SWP leadership, began to reject the label of "Trotskyism" and the theory of Permanent Revolution, in favour of building links with the Cuban Communist Party and Sandinista National Liberation Front.

Today, Waters is the President of the Pathfinder Press and the editor of New International magazine. She has written a number of books on political topics.