Photo: Book Cover
Over the past few years I’ve put together a book with the name, 21st Century Revolution: Through Higher Love, Racial Justice and Democratic Cooperation. I am very pleased to announce that it has been published and is now available to get and read!
This makes two books published over the last 15 months that, over the last five years, I have conceptualized, researched and written. Prior to last year’s first book, Burglar for Peace, I had written and had published two books over my first 70 years. As I had hoped, retirement from a paying job in 2015 gave me time and space to do more writing, part of my retirement plan. It’s nice when things work out, which doesn’t always happen!
What is this book about? Here’s some of what I say in a publisher’s description:
“21st Century Revolution was written based upon my 53 years of continuous involvement in the movement for fundamental, justice grounded, political, social, economic and cultural change–revolution. I was driven to write it because of deep concern about the systemic threats to the possibility of a decent life for future generations, particularly the climate emergency and related environmental threats, the rise of a neo-fascist threat in the USA and elsewhere, and the widening gulf of economic/racial inequality.
“21st Century Revolution was written to encourage those who consider themselves part of the movement for systemic change to consider a mix of issues and history that I believe are essential to the prospect of eventual success in our collective revolutionary project. My personal history, which includes not just decades of political activism and organizing but also in-and-out relationships with and study of religion and spirituality, has given me a vantage point which I have seen be of value to others.
“21st Century Revolution explores the issue of the relation between the socialist project since the Communist Manifesto in 1848 and organized religion, primarily Christianity. Within that context it addresses the questions, does “God” exist, and does it matter, as far as the historical project of positive revolutionary change. It analyzes the major social, economic and cultural changes which began to take place approximately 10,000 years ago in Europe, Asia and North Africa as humans in those areas, after hundreds of thousands of years as hunter-gatherers, evolved into settled, agriculture-based societies. This change led to an historic shift from men-and-women run, predominantly peaceful partnership societies to male-dominated, militaristic and class societies. It puts forward and explains the importance of a wide range of necessary cultural changes in present-day society, including within the political Left, if the human race is going to be able to avoid worldwide societal breakdown because of an intensifying climate and ecological crisis. It describes what I see as seven distinct classes in U.S. society, as a contribution toward understanding the potentials, or lack of them, of each class to help make that revolution. It concludes with an articulation of and explanation in support of ten aspects of a winning strategy for revolutionary change in the 21st century which I consider to be both necessary and already taking place.”
I conclude the introduction to the book with these words: “I pray that this book will contribute to a 21st century revolution, one based upon higher love, a deep and unshakeable commitment to the centrality of racial justice, and a democratic and cooperative politics and culture that by force of example literally changes the world. It must. We really must.”
At this site, you can see short statements made about 21st Century Revolution by these progressive leaders: Medea Benjamin, Jimmy Santiago Baca, Dr. Ron Daniels, Max Elbaum, Bill Fletcher, Jr., L. George Friday, Rev. Osagyefo Sekou, Matt Smith, Andres Torres, Melinda Tuhus and Joe Uehlein. I appreciate that these long distance runners in the struggle for justice took the time to read and comment. Thank you to all!
Ted Glick is a volunteer organizer with Beyond Extreme Energy and President of 350NJ-Rockland. Past writings and other information can be found at https://tedglick.com, and he can be followed on Twitter at https://jtglick.com.
