This work investigates why radical movements in the United States have historically failed to unify the working class against systemic economic and political divisions. Stanley Aronowitz, a sociologist and labor activist, utilizes a combination of personal narrative and rigorous historical analysis to examine the evolution of the American labor movement from the post-Civil War era through the early 1970s. He argues that the institutionalization of labor unions and the fragmentation of worker identity have hindered the development of a cohesive class consciousness.

Scholars and labor historians frequently cite this text as a foundational work for understanding the complexities of American class identity and the limitations of traditional unionism. Readers often note the academic density of the prose, which balances theoretical sociological frameworks with historical narrative to provide a critical perspective on labor politics.