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Imagine: Living in a Socialist U.S.A.
An anthology of original essays that seek to right current misconceptions and fears about socialism by describing what socialism would look like in the U.S.A. and the better, more just society that could accompany it
Imagine: Living in a Socialist U.S.A. is an anthology of original essays that looks at what the United States could be if the capitalism collapsed and socialism was instated.
The book paints a portrait of the many facets of life in a socialist society through a series of ruminations by prominent thinkers, activists, and artists, including Academy Award-winning filmmaker Michael Moore's proposal for how to effectively continue the Occupy Wall Street movement; incarcerated journalist Mumia Abu-Jamal's look at alternative systems to capitalist injustice; Hugo Award-winning author Terry Bisson's short story imagining Thanksgiving in 2077 where the dinner table conversation revolves around everything from the rising seas in Florida and the dismantling of the Alaskan pipeline to the children's ability to work off their student loans through civil service; New York Daily News columnist Juan Gonzalez's argument that immigrant workers have already proven that socialism provides a better life; and attorney Michael Ratner, who is representing Julian Assange and WikiLeaks in the United States, explaining the steps he would take as attorney general, which include refusing to enforce criminal prosecution of undocumented immigrants and Internet activists like Assange, as well as ending all FBI surveillance measures.
Other essays touch on the topics of gender equality in the workplace, an end to the war on drugs, how the arts and education would thrive in a socialist system, and, above all, make a case for how and why a socialist U.S.A could lead to a better world.
Imagine: Living in a Socialist U.S.A. is an anthology of original essays that looks at what the United States could be if the capitalism collapsed and socialism was instated.
The book paints a portrait of the many facets of life in a socialist society through a series of ruminations by prominent thinkers, activists, and artists, including Academy Award-winning filmmaker Michael Moore's proposal for how to effectively continue the Occupy Wall Street movement; incarcerated journalist Mumia Abu-Jamal's look at alternative systems to capitalist injustice; Hugo Award-winning author Terry Bisson's short story imagining Thanksgiving in 2077 where the dinner table conversation revolves around everything from the rising seas in Florida and the dismantling of the Alaskan pipeline to the children's ability to work off their student loans through civil service; New York Daily News columnist Juan Gonzalez's argument that immigrant workers have already proven that socialism provides a better life; and attorney Michael Ratner, who is representing Julian Assange and WikiLeaks in the United States, explaining the steps he would take as attorney general, which include refusing to enforce criminal prosecution of undocumented immigrants and Internet activists like Assange, as well as ending all FBI surveillance measures.
Other essays touch on the topics of gender equality in the workplace, an end to the war on drugs, how the arts and education would thrive in a socialist system, and, above all, make a case for how and why a socialist U.S.A could lead to a better world.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 21, 2014
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October 27, 2014
Note: this is the review I wrote for the book on Amazon. I ask that if you find this book important that you please write a review of it and give it a high rating.
As a result of decades of anti-Communist propaganda and education, you can't even mention the word “socialism” unless it's used as a label to criticize Obama, who ironically is about as socialist as Adam Smith was a Marxist. So thankfully the editors of this book courageously use the word “socialist” in their title. There is no better time than now for us to resurrect a national debate about capitalism and socialism and what these economic systems can mean for the future of this country, as well as the rest of the world.
Now unlike the reviewers who have given this book one star, I actually read it from beginning to end. Not one of the on-star reviewers seem to have read even the first page of the book. Most of their reviews are based on non sequitur or straw man fallacies that try to argue that socialism doesn't work because it didn't work in the Soviet Union, and that the price of the book means that the authors are not true socialists, which is just silly. Even if the book were given away for free, I seriously doubt that any of those reviewers would actually read it. So let's move on.
Secondly, this book is not about Soviet style socialism or communism. The chapter (28) titled, "Third American Revolution "How Socialism Can To the United States" provides the best definition of what the authors mean by socialism:
"Socialism could be defined as economic democracy. It means rule by the people over the economic structures and resources that we need to keep ourselves alive and healthy, to engage in creative activity, to maintain good relationships with one another, and to have good and meaningful lives. This is a revolutionary goal. It means a fundamental change from an economic dictatorship— an economy owned and controlled by a small capitalist minority for the purpose of maximizing its profits— to an economy owned by all, democratically controlled by all, and planned of freedom, democracy, and innumerable religious creeds.)"
The writers in this book, however, don't view socialism as some grand utopia that solves all the world's problems. Their visions of socialism are nuanced, and they are well aware of the challenges and the slim possibilities of a socialist economic model arising out of a deeply rooted, capitalist- driven economic and political system. Though the economic and technological advancements in this country, as well as other countries throughout the world, are ripe for a socialist transformation, writer Paul Le Blanc is most correct when he says, "there is no pathway to socialism [i.e. real socialism] if a majority of the people don't want it." Exactly. We don't need a so-called socialist dictatorship. We need a real democratically- led socialist system.
This book starts off with a chapter on what is wrong with capitalism, and why it doesn't work for the majority of the people in this society, and indeed the entire planet. A recent Oxfam study reveals that 85 of the wealthiest individuals in the world own as much wealth as the poorest 3.5 billion. No one questions why it is acceptable for individuals and families to acquire millions or billions of dollars of personal wealth, while most people on the planet live off of $2.50 per day, and half of the workers in the US earned less than $25,000 in 2011. No one, absolutely no one, deserves and needs millions of dollars of personal wealth in order to survive. This level of wealth accumulation is utterly obscene and depraved. (Here's another tiny example for you: "$57,031. That’s about what the average US archaeologist made last year. It’s also what Jamie Dimon made every day of last year—$20.8 million total, according to the firm’s proxy filing this week." Again I ask, why does Jamie Dimon need and deserve that amount of money? It's only because the laws of capitalism allow it. And even another question to ponder, why is the income of the archaeologist not enough for him or her to reasonably live off of in this country? The economics of this country requires that a family of four would need to be making at least$150,000 to $200,000 to live comfortably and retire.)
The nature of capitalism is about the privatization and commodification of all goods and services that people need to live. Because the main goal of capitalism is to increase profits, it exploits and misuses natural and human resources, and is largely driven by greed and vast material accumulation, with little or no regard to the negative effects on the environment, animals and people that populate the planet.
Each of 31 chapters in this book speaks to the ills of capitalism, but more importantly they explore what a socialist transformation could mean in the United States. Of course it is ironic to ponder such visions in a so-called developed country that doesn't even have universal healthcare. It is hard to imagine a socialist transformation in a country where there are enough people who think that a for-profit, insurance-based, healthcare system is better and more affordable than a publicly-backed (no insurance) healthcare system. "America is the only modern industrial nation in the world that does this to its people. Everywhere else — Japan, Germany, Spain, Italy, Australia, Canada, Taiwan – there is some kind of system to which every single person has easy access to not only emergency care but to doctors and hospitals as well."
But as the saying goes, where there is no vision, the people perish. The importance of this book, and a few others like it, is a call for us to imagine that a better world is indeed possible. It's a call for us to not to not write off socialism because it "didn't work in the Soviet Union," but instead to study the history of socialism and figure out what worked and what didn't, and how it can be done differently.
The essays in this book explore how socialism would make a difference in terms of how we work and make use of natural resources. The book explores also what difference socialism would make in the areas of art, healthcare, housing, food, emotional life, sexuality, racism, criminal justice, poverty, immigration, religion, drugs, education, science and technology, women, ecology, racial minorities, and the role of democracy in a publicly owned economy.
For example, in the area of science, "a socialist transformation of America would redirect an immense amount of scientific talent and resources toward conquering hunger, poverty, and disease throughout the world."
Media institutions would be free of corporate and commercial influence so that journalists could work full-time reporting on and investigating all spears of politics, the economy and culture. Fred Jerome in his essay envisions the cost of media coverage coming from add-ons to union dues of the workers. "In a socialist society," he says, "a portion of the media will be reserved for news disseminated by the democratically elected government bodies, that is, working people elected by and for working people." I would argue though that media would be independent of any economic or political influence, and that journalists would be charged with the responsibility of reporting the news and conducting investigations independent of political influence as much as possible. Online media, as Jerome says, would also continue to play a vital role as being an active and participatory voice of people throughout the world.
In the area of housing, Tom Angotti envisions and calls for banks, insurance companies, and landlords to be taken out of the picture. He writes that, "there could be individual private owners, cooperatives, condominiums, government housing, accurate on housing, community land trusts, and other forms of ownership. But land itself will always remain in the public domain and couldn't be bought and sold on the market."
The socialist transformation would involve decriminalizing all drugs, and instead helping people to use drugs and alcohol responsibly.
In sum, a post-capitalist economy would mean de-privatizing property and natural resources, housing and medical care for everyone, and free universal education that doesn't end with a bachelor or doctorate degree. There is absolutely no way that we can improve the living conditions of everyone on the planet unless we move toward a society that guarantees full employment and complete access to the basic necessities of life. Economic inequalities and poor access to food, housing, education, and medical care means that poverty and deprivation will always undermine our collective human potential.
It is difficult to tell how many people will actually read this book or other books like it, but our failure to do so means that we will continue to imprison ourselves in an economic system that has created vast wealth disparities, and disables us from living out our greatest potential. If the best we can do is sell our labor and compete with one another for meager incomes while 1 to 5% of the population continues to grow immensely wealthy, then I cannot foresee a better future for our children. We are not headed for utopia, where on the road to dystopia.
As a result of decades of anti-Communist propaganda and education, you can't even mention the word “socialism” unless it's used as a label to criticize Obama, who ironically is about as socialist as Adam Smith was a Marxist. So thankfully the editors of this book courageously use the word “socialist” in their title. There is no better time than now for us to resurrect a national debate about capitalism and socialism and what these economic systems can mean for the future of this country, as well as the rest of the world.
Now unlike the reviewers who have given this book one star, I actually read it from beginning to end. Not one of the on-star reviewers seem to have read even the first page of the book. Most of their reviews are based on non sequitur or straw man fallacies that try to argue that socialism doesn't work because it didn't work in the Soviet Union, and that the price of the book means that the authors are not true socialists, which is just silly. Even if the book were given away for free, I seriously doubt that any of those reviewers would actually read it. So let's move on.
Secondly, this book is not about Soviet style socialism or communism. The chapter (28) titled, "Third American Revolution "How Socialism Can To the United States" provides the best definition of what the authors mean by socialism:
"Socialism could be defined as economic democracy. It means rule by the people over the economic structures and resources that we need to keep ourselves alive and healthy, to engage in creative activity, to maintain good relationships with one another, and to have good and meaningful lives. This is a revolutionary goal. It means a fundamental change from an economic dictatorship— an economy owned and controlled by a small capitalist minority for the purpose of maximizing its profits— to an economy owned by all, democratically controlled by all, and planned of freedom, democracy, and innumerable religious creeds.)"
The writers in this book, however, don't view socialism as some grand utopia that solves all the world's problems. Their visions of socialism are nuanced, and they are well aware of the challenges and the slim possibilities of a socialist economic model arising out of a deeply rooted, capitalist- driven economic and political system. Though the economic and technological advancements in this country, as well as other countries throughout the world, are ripe for a socialist transformation, writer Paul Le Blanc is most correct when he says, "there is no pathway to socialism [i.e. real socialism] if a majority of the people don't want it." Exactly. We don't need a so-called socialist dictatorship. We need a real democratically- led socialist system.
This book starts off with a chapter on what is wrong with capitalism, and why it doesn't work for the majority of the people in this society, and indeed the entire planet. A recent Oxfam study reveals that 85 of the wealthiest individuals in the world own as much wealth as the poorest 3.5 billion. No one questions why it is acceptable for individuals and families to acquire millions or billions of dollars of personal wealth, while most people on the planet live off of $2.50 per day, and half of the workers in the US earned less than $25,000 in 2011. No one, absolutely no one, deserves and needs millions of dollars of personal wealth in order to survive. This level of wealth accumulation is utterly obscene and depraved. (Here's another tiny example for you: "$57,031. That’s about what the average US archaeologist made last year. It’s also what Jamie Dimon made every day of last year—$20.8 million total, according to the firm’s proxy filing this week." Again I ask, why does Jamie Dimon need and deserve that amount of money? It's only because the laws of capitalism allow it. And even another question to ponder, why is the income of the archaeologist not enough for him or her to reasonably live off of in this country? The economics of this country requires that a family of four would need to be making at least$150,000 to $200,000 to live comfortably and retire.)
The nature of capitalism is about the privatization and commodification of all goods and services that people need to live. Because the main goal of capitalism is to increase profits, it exploits and misuses natural and human resources, and is largely driven by greed and vast material accumulation, with little or no regard to the negative effects on the environment, animals and people that populate the planet.
Each of 31 chapters in this book speaks to the ills of capitalism, but more importantly they explore what a socialist transformation could mean in the United States. Of course it is ironic to ponder such visions in a so-called developed country that doesn't even have universal healthcare. It is hard to imagine a socialist transformation in a country where there are enough people who think that a for-profit, insurance-based, healthcare system is better and more affordable than a publicly-backed (no insurance) healthcare system. "America is the only modern industrial nation in the world that does this to its people. Everywhere else — Japan, Germany, Spain, Italy, Australia, Canada, Taiwan – there is some kind of system to which every single person has easy access to not only emergency care but to doctors and hospitals as well."
But as the saying goes, where there is no vision, the people perish. The importance of this book, and a few others like it, is a call for us to imagine that a better world is indeed possible. It's a call for us to not to not write off socialism because it "didn't work in the Soviet Union," but instead to study the history of socialism and figure out what worked and what didn't, and how it can be done differently.
The essays in this book explore how socialism would make a difference in terms of how we work and make use of natural resources. The book explores also what difference socialism would make in the areas of art, healthcare, housing, food, emotional life, sexuality, racism, criminal justice, poverty, immigration, religion, drugs, education, science and technology, women, ecology, racial minorities, and the role of democracy in a publicly owned economy.
For example, in the area of science, "a socialist transformation of America would redirect an immense amount of scientific talent and resources toward conquering hunger, poverty, and disease throughout the world."
Media institutions would be free of corporate and commercial influence so that journalists could work full-time reporting on and investigating all spears of politics, the economy and culture. Fred Jerome in his essay envisions the cost of media coverage coming from add-ons to union dues of the workers. "In a socialist society," he says, "a portion of the media will be reserved for news disseminated by the democratically elected government bodies, that is, working people elected by and for working people." I would argue though that media would be independent of any economic or political influence, and that journalists would be charged with the responsibility of reporting the news and conducting investigations independent of political influence as much as possible. Online media, as Jerome says, would also continue to play a vital role as being an active and participatory voice of people throughout the world.
In the area of housing, Tom Angotti envisions and calls for banks, insurance companies, and landlords to be taken out of the picture. He writes that, "there could be individual private owners, cooperatives, condominiums, government housing, accurate on housing, community land trusts, and other forms of ownership. But land itself will always remain in the public domain and couldn't be bought and sold on the market."
The socialist transformation would involve decriminalizing all drugs, and instead helping people to use drugs and alcohol responsibly.
In sum, a post-capitalist economy would mean de-privatizing property and natural resources, housing and medical care for everyone, and free universal education that doesn't end with a bachelor or doctorate degree. There is absolutely no way that we can improve the living conditions of everyone on the planet unless we move toward a society that guarantees full employment and complete access to the basic necessities of life. Economic inequalities and poor access to food, housing, education, and medical care means that poverty and deprivation will always undermine our collective human potential.
It is difficult to tell how many people will actually read this book or other books like it, but our failure to do so means that we will continue to imprison ourselves in an economic system that has created vast wealth disparities, and disables us from living out our greatest potential. If the best we can do is sell our labor and compete with one another for meager incomes while 1 to 5% of the population continues to grow immensely wealthy, then I cannot foresee a better future for our children. We are not headed for utopia, where on the road to dystopia.
February 23, 2016
Three and a half stars.
I picked out this book expecting to find a series of somewhat utopian essays from anticapitalist thinkers describing what their vision of a “Socialist U.S.A.” might look like. However, it was not really like that at all. Overall this is still a worthwhile and accessible anthology, but of essays that critique capitalism and the organization of society more often than conceptualize about a socialist version of it. Some absolutely do stick to the "imagine" theme and offer persuasive and compelling visualizations that stir up hope for a socialist (or sometimes reformist or anarchist or syndicalist) future, but many describe only what not to do.
Something that I found to be frustrating about the book is that it appears to be based on submissions rather than a collaborative effort. For example, nearly every chapter begins with its own historically-based introduction, which would be useful if one were reading these as individual essays; unfortunately, in chapter book format it just becomes repetitive reading 20 different authors’ interpretations of the history of neoliberalism. For this reason I found it easier to read over a long period of time at a rate of one essay per sitting rather than reading it as complete book. My favorites include the essays by Arun Gupta on agriculture, Mat Callahan on art and intellectual property, and Kazembe Balagun on anti-racism.
This is a valuable book to keep on your shelf and flip through on days you're feeling beat down by society. If you’d like to read another book that imagines socialism in the U.S.A., I recommend “Socialism …Seriously” by Danny Katch. If you’d like to read another book that offers similar critiques of society and poses solutions from a left-leaning perspective I recommend “Alternatives to Economic Globalization” by John Cavanaugh.
I picked out this book expecting to find a series of somewhat utopian essays from anticapitalist thinkers describing what their vision of a “Socialist U.S.A.” might look like. However, it was not really like that at all. Overall this is still a worthwhile and accessible anthology, but of essays that critique capitalism and the organization of society more often than conceptualize about a socialist version of it. Some absolutely do stick to the "imagine" theme and offer persuasive and compelling visualizations that stir up hope for a socialist (or sometimes reformist or anarchist or syndicalist) future, but many describe only what not to do.
Something that I found to be frustrating about the book is that it appears to be based on submissions rather than a collaborative effort. For example, nearly every chapter begins with its own historically-based introduction, which would be useful if one were reading these as individual essays; unfortunately, in chapter book format it just becomes repetitive reading 20 different authors’ interpretations of the history of neoliberalism. For this reason I found it easier to read over a long period of time at a rate of one essay per sitting rather than reading it as complete book. My favorites include the essays by Arun Gupta on agriculture, Mat Callahan on art and intellectual property, and Kazembe Balagun on anti-racism.
This is a valuable book to keep on your shelf and flip through on days you're feeling beat down by society. If you’d like to read another book that imagines socialism in the U.S.A., I recommend “Socialism …Seriously” by Danny Katch. If you’d like to read another book that offers similar critiques of society and poses solutions from a left-leaning perspective I recommend “Alternatives to Economic Globalization” by John Cavanaugh.
January 9, 2015
Granted, I'm no socialist, but my moderate pro-welfare state capitalistic preferences don't lead me to think that this book sucks. The suckage of the book leads me to believe it sucks. This was really a collection of a bunch of horribly short essays that offered, at brief moments, decent critiques of America as is, but very little in the way of how to get to their preferred socialistic society, and what it would really be like if we ever got there. Also, they really REALLY fell for Occupy Wall Street. I mean, they really saw that as going the distance. Ugh. That whole Occupy thing lasted about as long as a rough fever, and was easily forgotten. A thoughtful book that tries to lay out this vision would be most appreciated. This book ain't it.
July 2, 2016
This book is a great introduction to socialism for those who don't know much about it. The essays are short and to the point, exploring what a socialist America might look like, covering everything from food production to welfare, housing, immigration, drugs, sexuality, medicine, and education.
May 29, 2018
I really liked the idea behind this book - it is made up of a wide array of contributions from various socialists in the US and focuses on what socialism in the US might look like, in particular. My favorite essays were Ajamu Baraka's essay on socialism and human rights and the essay written by Mumia Abu-Jamal and Angela Davis about a justice system that is not based on capitalism but on community.
A lot of the book was repetitive and I wish there had been more essays with a vision for the future rather than so many focusing on the problems of the present, because I wanted to truly see how some people imagine a socialist USA. That being said, I think this is a great book for anyone who is new to the ideas of socialism and I applaud Frances Goldin for putting together a book on socialism published by a maintstream publisher.
A lot of the book was repetitive and I wish there had been more essays with a vision for the future rather than so many focusing on the problems of the present, because I wanted to truly see how some people imagine a socialist USA. That being said, I think this is a great book for anyone who is new to the ideas of socialism and I applaud Frances Goldin for putting together a book on socialism published by a maintstream publisher.
March 17, 2017
This is a book consisting of a series of essays about a possibility of a socialist USA. It is divided up into three sections – why capitalism is bad, what a socialist USA would mean and how to get there.
The U.S. is more or less infamous for its anti-communism agenda; and for many, socialism is synonymous with communism. In a way, they are right as communism is a branch within the socialist tree. But because of the propaganda, mostly done in the 50's and 60's during the Cold War, most Americans view socialism as something bad. They instantly think about Mao's China or Kim Jong-un's North Korea. Because of that, this book definitely caught my interest right away. That's very likely because I personally stand by socialism and its values; I'm not at all supportive of capitalism and therefore, to read about ideas about how to make one of the largest capitalist countries into a socialist country was way too interesting to pass up on.
But I felt the book spent most of its time trying to battle the ”socialism equals communism” thought concept – and it did an awful job at actually succeeding. There's quite a few socialist countries and yet, the book keeps mentioning communist nations without trying to explain the obvious and very big differences between socialism and its daughter communism. That being said, none of those countries are truly communist either. They are at best corrupt communist countries which more or less just means they are non-communist nations claiming to be. I felt that was a big flaw in the book because they were quite bad at trying to get their points and arguments across as to how and why socialism would succeed as the main ideology in the US.
The essays varied in quality quite a lot; somewhere really good and it was for those I pushed myself to finish the book. It definitely contains a lot of interesting thoughts, point of views and ideas. I do feel like I'm taking something with me after finishing the book, but none of them really have anything to do with why the US should become a socialist nation, how it will be done and how it will benefit the community in many ways. There's a lot of talk about benefits, yes, but there's a lot of talk and few suggestions. That does disappoint me as that is what the book claims to be. How to make the US socialist. It mostly contains a bunch of dreams of how it could look like. But how do we get there? And what is really the difference between socialism and communism? I doubt many who didn't know before reading the book truly knows it now.
The U.S. is more or less infamous for its anti-communism agenda; and for many, socialism is synonymous with communism. In a way, they are right as communism is a branch within the socialist tree. But because of the propaganda, mostly done in the 50's and 60's during the Cold War, most Americans view socialism as something bad. They instantly think about Mao's China or Kim Jong-un's North Korea. Because of that, this book definitely caught my interest right away. That's very likely because I personally stand by socialism and its values; I'm not at all supportive of capitalism and therefore, to read about ideas about how to make one of the largest capitalist countries into a socialist country was way too interesting to pass up on.
But I felt the book spent most of its time trying to battle the ”socialism equals communism” thought concept – and it did an awful job at actually succeeding. There's quite a few socialist countries and yet, the book keeps mentioning communist nations without trying to explain the obvious and very big differences between socialism and its daughter communism. That being said, none of those countries are truly communist either. They are at best corrupt communist countries which more or less just means they are non-communist nations claiming to be. I felt that was a big flaw in the book because they were quite bad at trying to get their points and arguments across as to how and why socialism would succeed as the main ideology in the US.
The essays varied in quality quite a lot; somewhere really good and it was for those I pushed myself to finish the book. It definitely contains a lot of interesting thoughts, point of views and ideas. I do feel like I'm taking something with me after finishing the book, but none of them really have anything to do with why the US should become a socialist nation, how it will be done and how it will benefit the community in many ways. There's a lot of talk about benefits, yes, but there's a lot of talk and few suggestions. That does disappoint me as that is what the book claims to be. How to make the US socialist. It mostly contains a bunch of dreams of how it could look like. But how do we get there? And what is really the difference between socialism and communism? I doubt many who didn't know before reading the book truly knows it now.
June 23, 2020
This book came out shortly after Occupy Wall Street and consequently felt a bit rushed to print. As someone who is aware of the changes that can come from socialist movements I didn't feel like this book broke a lot of new ground. Some parts, like the essay about mass media, for example, seemed very airy-fairy and unrealistic. Other parts, like the essays by Paul Le Blanc and Richard D. Wolff were pure nitroglycerin and I loved them. Uneven, more for beginners.
March 9, 2020
Since there is no reason to preach to the converted, I keep wondering how this book might affect liberals, centrists, or even conservatives (okay, that's probably too much of a stretch). Would it be terribly persuasive or a lost cause? Could it even nudge anyone in a more leftist direction?
There are several essays that could easily be described as utopian, if not in the sense of how their economic mechanisms might work, then in the sense of how we might get there. Even the most determined leftist movements must struggle endlessly to see the smallest amount of change occur. Perhaps it's always necessary to dream and have concrete end goals in mind, but these essays seem unlikely to persuade many.
The book opens with an essay on the problems with capitalism: vast and growing income inequality, impending climate catastrophe, the military industrial complex, the profit motive in general, etc. Anyone who has been even mildly awake since the financial crash of 2008 should already know something about these things. So again, this is hardly eye-opening information.
However, there are also several essays that allow for critical thought and push new insights. These are not only the most interesting writings; they are also the most persuasive. Whether its Paul Le Blanc defining socialism as "economic democracy" and dispelling fears about a centrally run economy, or Mumia Abu-Jamal and Angela Davis revising the notion of a crime from a state-issued order to a violation of human rights, or Diane Feeley using Detroit as a roadmap forward, these essays force readers to think differently, and if they're being honest, at least grapple with the shortcomings of the current system.
The piece de resistance was Richard Wolff's essay on post-capitalism. Not only does he dispel myths about the "state capitalism" of the Soviet Union, which did nothing to break down the schism between the capitalist class and the workers, he also elaborates on the benefits of instituting democracy in the workplace, which can eventually branch out to a more democratic society in general.
These particular essays, I feel, have the ability to nudge people just a little.
There are several essays that could easily be described as utopian, if not in the sense of how their economic mechanisms might work, then in the sense of how we might get there. Even the most determined leftist movements must struggle endlessly to see the smallest amount of change occur. Perhaps it's always necessary to dream and have concrete end goals in mind, but these essays seem unlikely to persuade many.
The book opens with an essay on the problems with capitalism: vast and growing income inequality, impending climate catastrophe, the military industrial complex, the profit motive in general, etc. Anyone who has been even mildly awake since the financial crash of 2008 should already know something about these things. So again, this is hardly eye-opening information.
However, there are also several essays that allow for critical thought and push new insights. These are not only the most interesting writings; they are also the most persuasive. Whether its Paul Le Blanc defining socialism as "economic democracy" and dispelling fears about a centrally run economy, or Mumia Abu-Jamal and Angela Davis revising the notion of a crime from a state-issued order to a violation of human rights, or Diane Feeley using Detroit as a roadmap forward, these essays force readers to think differently, and if they're being honest, at least grapple with the shortcomings of the current system.
The piece de resistance was Richard Wolff's essay on post-capitalism. Not only does he dispel myths about the "state capitalism" of the Soviet Union, which did nothing to break down the schism between the capitalist class and the workers, he also elaborates on the benefits of instituting democracy in the workplace, which can eventually branch out to a more democratic society in general.
These particular essays, I feel, have the ability to nudge people just a little.
January 13, 2024
I got excited by the title and premise, but it was very dated for/centered around 2011 and the Occupy movement, so it wasn't the most relevant or inspiring read for the 2020s context. And I get that most of the essays are imaginative or speculative in nature, but not a single source was cited for any of them.
February 28, 2017
This edited book contains lots of short chapters on various facets of society and "imagines" how they would look within a socialist system. Somehow the writers managed to keep them short while including a fairly high degree of complexity—in both the transition to a socialist system, various iterations of socialism, and the shortcomings that would remain.
February 5, 2016
"Imagine" is the key word here. Most of the essays are basic summaries of socialist principles as applied to certain aspects of life or government, like jails under socialism, socialist law, gender and equality under socialism. The jewels expanded upon these simple imaginings by applying more stringent analysis. "The Shape of a Post-Capitalist Future" by Wolff was one because it examined the make-up of companies, particularly the board of directors, and how they had failed under other socialist experiments and what needed to be addressed to avoid the same mistakes in the future. It was also the first essay in the book to explicitly discuss basic economic terms like surplus value. Feely also offered economic analysis to strengthened her essay. My biggest problem with this book was that it seemed to be written for an already socialist audience. It brings up some fun thoughts and complicated problems, but it's not going to bring about an epiphany for the "two-party, free markets are democratic, boo big government, I'll be a millionaire one day" brainwashee.
Many of the essays felt like summaries of what a reader, if she had read anything about socialism and communism, probably already knows and has discussed with peers in depth. But there were some fun things too, like Bisson's fictional contribution and a speech that was originally delivered by people's mic check at Occupy. It is a very accessible introduction to socialist values and some socialist thought.
Many of the essays felt like summaries of what a reader, if she had read anything about socialism and communism, probably already knows and has discussed with peers in depth. But there were some fun things too, like Bisson's fictional contribution and a speech that was originally delivered by people's mic check at Occupy. It is a very accessible introduction to socialist values and some socialist thought.
April 12, 2014
A very thought-provoking and well-rounded picture of "The Socialist" in contemporary America. As a self-proclaimed socialist myself, I enjoyed the views I read, and yes, I also dissented with a few. Commonly "The Socialist" is objectified in our society just as "African-Americans" (more appropriately titled Afro-Americans to distinguish a difference between the two), immigrants, or generally those that don't conform to the ideals of the "powerful majority," more appropriately those with [unchecked and unethical] capital buying and selling power.
I would have liked to see more of a forum of discussion on foreign policy within this book. In terms of what it does cover, it covers virtually every aspect of contemporary American life EXCEPT FOR foreign policy (aside from the discussion of WAR specifically). What would we, as a "socialist nation" do to facilitate good foreign relations with other nations in the world (some already being socialist, some becoming socialist, but largely those still governed by corrupt capitalism)?
The book as it stands is a fantastic collection of essays from some of the USA's top intellectually and journalistically objective minds. As for continued revisions and editions, please open up the debate on foreign policy as that seems to be one of the largest threats to a successful socialist reform on the home front.
I would have liked to see more of a forum of discussion on foreign policy within this book. In terms of what it does cover, it covers virtually every aspect of contemporary American life EXCEPT FOR foreign policy (aside from the discussion of WAR specifically). What would we, as a "socialist nation" do to facilitate good foreign relations with other nations in the world (some already being socialist, some becoming socialist, but largely those still governed by corrupt capitalism)?
The book as it stands is a fantastic collection of essays from some of the USA's top intellectually and journalistically objective minds. As for continued revisions and editions, please open up the debate on foreign policy as that seems to be one of the largest threats to a successful socialist reform on the home front.
February 3, 2018
For those more inclined to conservatism; you might loathe this book. For those inclined to liberalism; you'll enjoy this while being challenged in the fundamentals of your democratic platform. For those with simple curiosity seeking to read all sides of the political landscape (like myself) you will thoroughly enjoy this. For so long socialism has been mired in one stigma after another. Bringing up examples of China, USSR, and other countries practicing "socialism" We are led to think it equates to something evil. It's the greed and control of the human heart that is the issue... Not the form of government. The book argues. This book clears the fray and gives the reader a somewhat utopian and idealistic view of what a society could look like that differs from capitalism which is also filled with its own societal ills. I certainly would not endorse everything within it however it is still a challenging read for anyone unaware of the vast differences between socialism and capitalism. Major flaw of the book... It lacks citations for data, polls, and quotes. This makes it difficult to track claims and statements. Looking forward to reading something from the other side now!
July 22, 2015
This is a good book, especially for beginners to socialism or any clueless capitalist who associates socialism with the end of the world. The best part of this book, in my opinion, was its broad attempt to display how socialism could theoretically solve numerous social problems, such as environmental destruction and mass incarceration.
On the other hand, this book is too shallow or not at all for someone well versed in Marxist economics, sociology, and/or philosophy. Many Marxist readers would disagree with the socialist economics presented in this book, which I'd describe as being quasi socialist with capitalistic elements. If you are a true Marxist or are interested in Marxist literature, this is not the book for you.
On the other hand, this book is too shallow or not at all for someone well versed in Marxist economics, sociology, and/or philosophy. Many Marxist readers would disagree with the socialist economics presented in this book, which I'd describe as being quasi socialist with capitalistic elements. If you are a true Marxist or are interested in Marxist literature, this is not the book for you.
September 30, 2014
I found the fact that chapters were written by different people a real stumbling block for me. I read a chapter that I found very good and idea provoking, exciting and then the next chapter would be slam on the brakes; I would trudge through it, finding it difficult to read. This, for me, made the book hard to read overall. And I'm sorry, but the chapter on legalizing marijuana and heroin, and playing with the idea of legalizing other drugs was dangerous. The marijuana thing I can swallow. People going to work loaded on synthetic heroin was hard for me to deal with. I picked this book to get a clear idea of what a socialist society would look like, but I didn't walk away with that at all.
March 19, 2015
Current 2014. Imagine- enough people reading this non-fiction paperback- rather than looking at cute kitten pictures on their Smart phones while wondering how they will get enough money to pay the cell bill, rent...
The 31 short essays by well known individuals (well known-unless you only look at social media) present information many Americans experience daily but have no awareness how it impacts them. The 1% know, they would prefer we continue looking at the cute kitten pictures.
It is not all dry facts. Consider 'Thanksgiving 2077' by Terry Bisson. I like Michael Moore, his essay is titled 'Where Does Occupy Wall Street Go from Here? A Proposal'.
The 31 short essays by well known individuals (well known-unless you only look at social media) present information many Americans experience daily but have no awareness how it impacts them. The 1% know, they would prefer we continue looking at the cute kitten pictures.
It is not all dry facts. Consider 'Thanksgiving 2077' by Terry Bisson. I like Michael Moore, his essay is titled 'Where Does Occupy Wall Street Go from Here? A Proposal'.
April 14, 2014
A collection of over thirty concise and accessible essays on socialist philosophy, not just an indictment on the damage caused by unfettered capitalism resulting in the lack of a functioning democracy but a series of blueprints on how to evolve from where we are today toward a society that is genuinely equal and just. Analyzes various aspects of our society and is quite the eye opener. Also recommended is THE S WORD: A SHORT HISTORY OF AN AMERICAN TRADITION...SOCIALISM by John Nichols, EMPIRE OF ILLUSION by Chris Hedges and THE SHOCK DOCTRINE: THE RISE OF DISASTER CAPITALISM by Naomi Klein.
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May 16, 2014Covers a wide array of topics and how they would look and function in a socialist America: from economics, to criminal justice, to media and art, to food policy, to drug policy and race and LGBT issues. They are quick to point to the failures of past socialist experiments ( usually a lack of democracy and a one dimensional economy) and state that America is better situated for economic justice than most countries. A bit long on vision and short on specifics in a few places but overall a good read. 3.25 Martinie glasses.
May 1, 2015
This is a fabulous book. In a democratic socialist alternative, everyone will live in ivory towers. If you have any sense of awareness of the world around you and you recognize the magnitude of social injustice and oppression that exists in America and the rest of the world, you understand why visions for a better world are needed. We must imagine a better way and work towards it. There is nothing utopian about this. This is all possible.
November 12, 2014
The book is filled with numerous indictments of the capitalist system and proposals for its replacement. However, I had been hoping to read more about concrete strategies to overcome the propaganda machines and unite the 99% in favor of socialism in a country that is so much closer to embracing fascism and xenophobia as remedies to economic insecurity. Still a good read, but less than I'd hoped for.
June 5, 2014
I really enjoyed all the alternate visions. Altho, there weren't as many as I'd hoped for. I first heard about this book when Amy Goodman reviewed it on Democracy Now. There is an interview with Francis Golden."
July 6, 2015
This collection of essays covers a range of topics, and the final section on the "how" is good and practical. Recommended as explanation of what's wrong and how to fix it -- and I do mean that in the most sweeping systemic sense.
December 16, 2014
It's more of a mood piece than a how to, or a book of proposals. It's more of outlining the reasons why change is necessary and what might be different. But the last handful of essays gets more proactive and fiery.
August 10, 2016
Very interesting. They have a chapter on so many different topics. There will be many things that almost anyone will find interesting. Quick pace too, because it's lots of 10-20 page essays.
April 10, 2014
It was a great book. It started strong while losing a little steam at the end. it offer a new prospective Socialism ideas!!
March 30, 2021
Essential reading for United States citizens and socialists in general!
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March 21, 2014335.00973 I318 2014
October 16, 2014
Everyone read it! Democratic socialism for everyone. I will probably never be an elected politician because I sing this books praises, but oh well!
June 10, 2014
Absolutely wonderful and should be required reading for ALl American progressive leftists. Wonderful collaboration and multiple points of view on many topics. Very impressive.
November 21, 2015
Took off a star for Chapter 31, which is horribly trite. Otherwise, a semi-interesting, fairly current take on the issues.
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