The Occupy Wall Street protests have captured America’s political imagination. Polls show that two-thirds of the nation now believe that America’s enormous wealth ought to be “distributed more evenly.” However, almost as many Americans–well over half–feel the protests will ultimately have “little impact” on inequality in America. What explains this disconnect? Most Americans have resigned themselves to believing that the rich simply always get their way.

Except they don’t.

Veteran labor journalist and Institute for Policy Studies associate fellow Sam Pizzigati will discuss and signing of his new book, The Rich Don’t Always Win: The Forgotten Triumph over Plutocracy that Created the American Middle Class, 1900-1970. This is a lively popular history that speaks directly to the political hopelessness so many Americans feel. By tracing how average Americans took down plutocracy over the first half of the 20th Century–and how plutocracy came back– The Rich Don’t Always Win will outfit Occupy Wall Street America with a deeper understanding of what we need to do to get the United States back on track to the American dream.

Following the larger discussion, moderated by IPS Director John Cavanagh, will be a book signing and the opportunity for a brief moment of one-on-one exchange with Sam.

Co-sponsored by: IPS, Teaching for Change bookstore, and Busboys and Poets.