The Iron Heel by Jack London

All those good capitalists (Republicans) out there today who worship at the shrine of Ayn Rand should, in the interest of intellectual fairness, read this dystopian novel about the evils of capitalism and the need for socialist revolution. Way back in 1908, famed adventure novelist Jack London produced a book which rather eerily predicts a good bit of the political climate in America today. Strangely enough, both this book and Rand's Atlas Shrugged suggest that a general strike is the most effective weapon; in Rand's book the plutocrats strike and in London's book the proletariat strike. Both books seem to suggest that compromise is unacceptable. (We don't seem to be seeing much willingness to compromise today, do we?)

Among other predictions made by London which seem to have come about are these:
*a war between the United States and Germany, which he predicted for 1913, occurred in 1914;
*a national secret police force (A few months after the publication of this book, the Federal Bureau of Investigation was created);
*the creation of attractive suburbs for a favored strata of the working class, with the central cities being turned into ghettos for the menial laborers, thereby converting privileged working class citizens, for the short term, to the side of the plutocracy (oligarchy, in London's book);
*adequate food, health care, and housing priced above the reach of more and more people;
*"witch hunts" seeking to destroy all who oppose the oligarchy (remember Eugene McCarthy, and, later, anti-war protesters);
*public education for proletariat children neglected, while the children of the oligarchy attend private schools;
*giant corporations economically forcing out private small businesses and family farmers, destroying the middle class;
*secret agencies of the government conspiring in political assassinations (The cover of the current edition of The Iron Heel is a drawing of a boot stomping on a "Viva Allende" poster. Allende, the socialist leader of Chile, was assassinated with the help of the CIA.);
*the frustrated downtrodden of the inner cities rioting (sound familiar?).
* and so its goes.

All this is very convincing, particularly in the light of today's political climate. And yet, we all know that communism, the extension of socialism, did not work. The oppressed became the oppressors. And many Americans today are seeing that the capitalism of the oligarchy is not so far from fascism. And into all this mix of fiscal philosophy, today we have thrown in questions of morality and religion versus personal freedom. What a mess!

The plot of this novel is the account written by the wife of one of the leaders of the socialist movement toward revolution. As in Rand's Atlas Shrugged, the plot is subservient to the message, and large portions are given over to speeches made by the characters. I will have to admit that Rand's plot is more interesting, even though it is totally unrealistic and enacted by Nietzsche-like super-people.

I would recommend this novel to everyone, not as a great story or an example of great literary talent, but as one that will make you think about your beliefs. Thinking is good.

P.S. Did you know that Ronald Reagan was the last president elected who was not a graduate of either Harvard or Yale? Elitism? Oligarchy?