Routledge Welcome to the Revolution: Universalizing Resistance for Social Justice and Democracy in Perilous Times

When the Women’s March gathered millions just one day after Trump’s inauguration, a new era of progressive action was born. Organizing on the far Right led to Trump’s election, bringing authoritarianism and the specter of neo-fascism, and intensifying corporate capitalism’s growing crises of inequality and injustices. Yet now we see a new universalizing resistance among progressive and left movements for truth, dignity, and a world based on democracy, equality, and sustainability. Derber offers the first comprehensive guide to this new era and an original vision and strategy for movement success. He convincingly shows how only a new universalizing wave, a progressive and revolutionary "movement of movements," can counter the world-universalizing economic and cultural forces of intensifying corporate and far-right power. Derber explores the crises and eroding legitimacy of the globalized capitalist system and the right wing movements that helped create the Trump era. He shows how left universalizing movements can--and must―converge to propel a mass base that can prevent societal, economic, or ecological collapse, stop a resurgent Right, and build a democratic social alternative. He describes tactics and strategies for thisnew progressive movement. Brief guest "interludes" by Medea Benjamin, Noam Chomsky, Ralph Nader, Bill Fletcher, Juliet Schor, Gar Alperovitz, Chuck Collins, Matt Nelson, Janet Wallace, and other prominent figures tell how to coalesce and universalize activism into a more powerful movement wave―at local, community, national, and international levels. Vivid and highly accessible, this book is for activists, students, and all citizens concerned about the erosion of justice and democracy. It thoroughly illuminates the rationale, theory, practice, humanism, love, and joy of the social transformation that we urgently need. Review "This book is joyfully jammed with the wisdom, experience, tools and motivation to overcome the ravages of the corporate state. On page after page, the theme is about building democratic initiatives and institutions for the common good and the good life of justice, peace and freedom. So gripping and personal is "Welcome to the Revolution", you can scarcely put this book down without putting yourself down. Read, digest, reflect and join with others for a functioning democracy." -Ralph Nader, Consumer Advocate and author of Breaking Through Power: It’s Easier Than We Think "Welcome to the Revolution could not have come at a better moment. With the election of Donald Trump, millions of Americans suddenly found themselves attending women’s rallies, supporting sanctuary cities, protesting Islamophobia, confronting their elected officials―even doing civil disobedience or running for local office. But activists, and the movements they are part of, need strategy, they need direction, they need to know not just what they are resisting but what transformations they aim for. Charles Derber’s brilliant and inspiring new book provides the glue that will help us craft a revolutionary movement that can resist, transform and prevail. Read it!"  - Medea Benjamin, Co-Founder of Code Pink and Global Exchange "Charlie Derber’s new book calls us all both to work harder on our particular issues and to get out of our silos to make common cause with others to change the system as a whole. This is the right message for theTrump era, and it is presented in powerful, moral, and practical terms. A must read for anyone serious about building a meaningful and positive future!" - Gar Alperovitz, author of What Then Must We Do? Straight Talk about the Next American Revolution, and Co-Chair of The Next System Project "Derber has written the theoretical and practical manifesto for this historical moment, reminding us of the tremendous possibilities at hand. Welcome to the Revolution explains how extractive capitalism has led to expanding systemic social, economic and eco