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In a time when mass joblessness and precarious employment are becoming issues of national concern, it is useful to reconsider the experiences of the unemployed in an earlier period of economic hardship, the Great Depression. Focusing on the bellwether city of Chicago, this book reevaluates those struggles, revealing the kernel of political radicalism and class resistance in practices that are usually thought of as apolitical and un-ideological. From communal sharing to “eviction riots,” from Unemployed Councils to the nationwide movement behind the remarkable Workers’ Unemployment Insurance Bill, millions of people fought to end the reign of capitalist values and usher in a new, more socialistic society. Today, their legacy is their resilience, their resourcefulness, and their proof that the unemployed can organize themselves to renew the struggle for a more just world.
“In this timely work that examines mass unemployment in 1930s Chicago, Chris Wright tells a powerful story of the active resistance of unemployed people against dehumanizing, capitalist forces. He demonstrates the power of community and solidarity among Chicago’s unemployed and argues for the radical potential of all humans’ desire for dignity and recognition.” — Randi Storch, Distinguished Teaching Professor, SUNY Cortland, USA.
Acknowledgments; Introduction; Chapter One - Overview; Chapter Two - Hardship; Chapter Three - Coping; Chapter Four - Relief; Part I: “Shelter Men”, Chapter Five - Relief; Part II: Governments, Unions, and Churches, Chapter Six - Collective Action; Conclusion; Index