We live in a country where those in power fight tooth and nail against the most modest reforms. They will not let minimum wage rise by a few dollars. Our fight has to be aimed at bringing a new society to life.
The US New Deal was a (flawed, racist) concession that must be understood against the backdrop of worldwide, working-class power. Those in power feared a scary working class. They feared internationalism. Their fortunes hung in the balance.
Even the most committed reformist must face up to this history. How to get concessions without a class power strong enough to bring about an existential crisis in the minds of those who rule over us?
We say enough is enough. We need to build power—to rebuild the working class back into a political entity that can fight for itself. This is what makes the idea of base building so powerful. It is a commitment to build the working class into fighting formation.
