Prisoners of the American Dream: Politics and Economy in the History of the U.S. Working Class

Prisoners of the American Dream: Politics and Economy in the History of the U.S. Working Class by Mike Davis examines the trajectory of organized labor in the United States. The book, which is considered essential reading on the history of U.S. unions, presents a bleak outlook on their future. Davis, a historian and political activist with Marxist leanings, explores how economic and political factors have shaped the U.S. working class. The concept of class consciousness, the self-understanding of members of a social class, is central to understanding these dynamics. This concept, originating in Marxist theory, explores how workers develop an awareness of their shared grievances and their opposition to the bourgeoisie. Davis's work delves into the historical struggles and evolving consciousness of the working class within the American context.12