A Reading List for SAPAtistas

A list of suggested readings I drew up a while ago for political education purposes inside the San Antonio Progressive Alliance reprinted here for public consumption. Vaguely in order of relevance.

Refinery Town by Steve Early.

A readable account of the Richmond Progressive Alliance in the context of the history of the city and the fight against the dominance of the oil industry. For obvious SAPA inspiration reasons as an independent political organization of the local left. 

The Illusion of Inclusion: the Untold Political Story of San Antonio by Rudy Rosales.

A political history of San Antonio told against the backdrop of class and race dynamics. A good account of the rise and fall of the Good Government League, the pro-business, white-dominated de facto party that controlled local politics until Latino community and political organizing forced changes in the 1970s. Solid sections on COPS/Metro, the Committee for the Betterment of the Barrio, and the local Chicano movement. 

Jacobin, “The Party We Need” Issue 23.

Excellent round-up of stories picking apart what kind of party of the Left we might need in a period like this. The most thought-provoking, discussed piece is Seth Ackerman's Blueprint for a New Party.  (An interesting critical response by Kim Moody here.)

Poor People's Movements by Francis Fox Piven and David Cloward.

A classic and provocative study of the history and dynamics of social movements and disruptive power in the US. A long (and I think convincing) argument for why building militant mass movements in the streets should be the primary task as legislative change mostly happens following upsurges. Free PDF copy here! 

Other Interesting Reads

Democracy is Power by Mike Parker and Martha Gruelle. Though focused on the union democracy movement it has a lot of good, practical, nuts-and-bolts advice for how to build democratic organizations. Coincidentally enough Mike (a mentor of mine at Labor Notes) went on to be RPA's candidate for mayor in 2014 after retiring as an autoworker. 

Quixote's Soldiers, a Local History of the Chicano Movement 1966-1981 by David Montejano. What the sub-title says, a good companion to Rosales's book above. A more in-depth look at MAYO, the Brown Berets, the La Raza Unida party, etc. 

Cold Anger by Mary Beth Rogers. A biography of COPS/Metro founder Ernesto Cortes Jr.

What's the Matter with Kansas?by Thomas Frank. How once populist states became “Red States” and the role of the Democratic Party elites in that dynamic. (Also check out Listen, Liberal by the same author).

This Is an Uprising by Mark and Paul Engler. Similar to the Piven/Cloward book (which it touts) but against the context of more modern movements and mostly non-violent insurrections like the Arab Spring.

Shattered: Inside Hillary Clinton's Doomed Campaign.  A detailed account of the elite hubris that created a political catastrophe. A little breezy at times, but highly readable and well confirming.