Dan Clawson argues that organized labor's decline could be reversed, and the Left's prospects greatly enhanced, if workers and their unions actively connected with social movements pushing for economic, racial, gender, and global justice. Clawson articulates his vision for labor's resurgence, discusses recent attacks on unions and public-sector workers, and describes the last great labor upsurge.

In a moment of economic crisis, what should our demands be and how should we hope to win them? Geographer David Harvey talks about organizing ourselves for life after capitalism, while resource economist Eugene Coyle discusses why unemployment is not solved by perpetual growth. He argues that it's time for labor and the left to again raise the banner of cutting the work week.

For months it felt like the people of California held their collective breath, until state lawmakers hammered out a budget package that the Governor signed. Mike Davis held neither his breath nor his tongue. He talked about the economic crisis, Democrat lawmakers, and Left organizing at Socialism 2009. And Vivek Chibber describes what kind of leverage working people have in relation to the state.

In Beyond the Fields, Randy Shaw describes how the United Farm Workers pioneered a grassroots organizing model that fueled political struggles of all kinds. Shaw suggests that an Obama spin-off organization be created that draws from the UFW model. Also, Steven Gale discusses the plays and politics of the late Harold Pinter.