The Iron Heel

[Mark Kohut]

We have all noticed Pynchon's negative references to iron all thru ATD, right?

Dave Monroe <monropolitan at yahoo.com> wrote:  Jack London, The Iron Heel (1908)

http://london.sonoma.edu/Writings/IronHeel/

http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/1164

The novel is based on the (fictional) "Everhard
Manuscript" written by Avis Everhard which she hid and
which was subsequently found centuries later....

The Manuscript itself covers the years 1912 through
1932 in which the Oligarchy (or "Iron Heel") arose in
the United States. In Asia, Japan conquered East Asia
and created its own empire, India gained independence,
and Europe become socialist. Canada, Mexico, and Cuba
formed their own Oligarchies and were aligned with the
US. (The fates of South America, Africa, and the
mid-East aren't given.)

[...]

The Oligarchy are the largest monopoly trusts (or
robber barons) who manage to squeeze out the middle
class by bankrupting most small to mid-sized business
as well as reducing all farmers to effective serfdom.
This Oligarchy maintains power through a "labor caste"
and the Mercenaries. Labor in essential industries
like steel and rail are elevated and given decent
wages, housing, and education. Indeed, the tragic turn
in the novel (and Jack London's core warning to his
contemporaries) is the treachery of these favored
unions which break with the other unions and side with
the Oligarchy. Further, a second, military caste is
formed: the Mercenaries. The Mercenaries are
officially the army of the US but are in fact in the
employ of the Oligarchs....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Iron_Heel

Any traces thereof in AtD? Let me know ...



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