| Synopsis: |
In the spring of 2011, Wisconsinites took to the streets in what became the longest, largest, and liveliest labor demonstrations in modern American history. Demonstrators in the Middle East sent greetings - and pizzas - to the thousands occupying the Capitol building in Madison, and 150,000 converged on the city by car, on foot, and atop tractors. Here is a riveting account of the first great wave of grassroots resistance to the corporate restructuring of the Great Recession. It Started in Wisconsin includes a fascinating series of pieces from the frontline, including eyewitness reports by striking teachers, students, and others. It explains the Wisconsin Idea through pieces by acclaimed historians such as MacArthur fellow Mari Jo Buhle, and lays bare the national corporate campaign that crafted the Wisconsin legislation and similar laws in a growing number of states. To convey the infectious, satirical esprit de corps that pervaded the protests, the book includes original pictures and comics. |