Wow! eBook
Class War, Then and Now: Essays toward a New Left
Author(s): Chris Wright (Author)
- Publisher: Manhattan Book Group
- Publication Date: July 30, 2025
- Language: English
- Print length: 392 pages
- ISBN-10: 1967458375
- ISBN-13: 9781967458370
Book Description
Wages have stagnated, inequality has soared, and the majority now lives paycheck to paycheck–while trillions of dollars flow upward into the pockets of the wealthiest few.
Class War, Then and Now is both a searing indictment of this economic and political order and an impassioned call to arms for a new left rooted in class struggle, solidarity, and socialist values.
Drawing on a decade of essays and articles originally published in outlets such as Dissent, New Politics, CounterPunch, Socialist Forum, and Common Dreams, historian Chris Wright examines the deep roots of capitalism’s crises and the failures of the contemporary left to confront them. In sharp, accessible prose, Wright tackles:
- The centrality of class struggle in building a movement that can unite working people
- Why identity politics, while important, must not overshadow the fight against capitalism
- The overlooked necessity of nuclear power in addressing climate change
- Lessons from labor history, from Jimmy Hoffa to modern union battles
- The catastrophic consequences of American imperialism
- How organized labor remains humanity’s most universal force for justice
With the urgency of a manifesto and the depth of historical scholarship, Wright argues that only a rational, international, and truly Marxist left can stop the United States–and the world–from sliding into neofascism and ecological collapse.
If you care about economic justice, social reform, and the future of democracy, Class War, Then and Now will challenge your thinking, sharpen your arguments, and inspire action.
Editorial Reviews
Review
“[E]ssential reading for anyone concerned about the present erosion of economic justice, the compelling need for social reform, and the very future of American democracy… Impressively informative, exceptionally well written, and thoroughly ‘reader friendly’ in organization and presentation.” –
Midwest Book Review“Christopher Wright is a formidable essayist writing on wide-ranging subjects… Read this book and ponder. Much here for discussion.” –
Paul Buhle, co-editor of the Encyclopedia of the American Left“Chris Wright’s
Class War, Then and Now is a bracing and humane call to rebuild a democratic left, blending cultural criticism, historical insight, and hard-headed strategy into a vision that feels both intellectually serious and practically galvanizing.” –‘Wrote a Book’ Blog
