What does it mean to “be on the left”? While the answer means different things to different people and can involve lengthy debate and discussion, all of which is fine, I boil it down to something very simple to guide myself, my own azimuth. For me, being on the left means advocating and working for vision and strategy that will take us towards a better world.

I believe human beings have, right now, all the necessary resources and capability to create a just and sustainable world that cares for us and all of nature, and I want to do what I can to help get us to that world.

I expect that many, many more of us on the left, and still more among those who don’t yet consider themselves to be on the left, believe in this or something similar. We dream of a better future, we hope for one, we strive for one.

Michael Albert does too. His life’s work is testament to that, in his tireless activism and prolific writing. He has always sought to find new and creative ways to communicate the message that there is a better alternative to what we have now. In that vein, he has ventured into the realm of fiction. He’s written a novel called An Oral History of The Next American Revolution. Michael asks a “what if” question. What if starting from now and going forward, the human race did actually achieve a desired better world? What would cause people to undertake that? What would cause people to stick with it? What struggles would they embark upon and by what methods, with what vision, having what solidarity, seeking what goals?

And so, Michael transports us to an “alt earth” 28 years time-shifted from ours where we meet US President Malcolm King and Vice President Celia Curie, veterans of the mass movement RPS (Revolutionary Participatory Society) and their documentarian Miguel Ernesto Guevara. Miguel draws out their story of revolution, starting in their (and our) 2016 and going on to their 2049. In 2016, alt earth suffers the same misery as our earth. But after 2016, alt earth’s path diverges from our earth’s path, shifts 28 years forward, and takes a spectacularly hopeful route. Guevara’s interviewees tell us about that different route.

As well as being introduced to Malcolm and Celia, we meet other members of RPS. Alexandra Voline, a workplace and union organiser; Andre Goldman, an economist and activist; Bill Hampton, an immigration and anti-racist campaigner; Barbara Bethune, a doctor and healthcare champion; Cynthia Parks, a public housing and community organiser; Lydia Luxemburg, a feminist and media worker and first shadow president of RPS; Stephen Du Bois, a progressive priest and developer of radical ecological policies; plus many more from different backgrounds, with different histories, and who get involved in different struggles.

The interviewees tell Miguel about the part they played in the on-going revolution that is transforming alt earth. They talk about their vision and strategy for polity, kinship, economy, community, ecology, and internationalism; and how they used that vision and strategy in their revolution to go up against the injustices and challenges of our modern age: ecological crises; military aggression and nuclear threats; capitalism; classism; wealth inequalities; worker exploitation; authoritarianism and oligarchies; homelessness and lack of housing; harsh and discriminate policing, judicial and prison systems; biased media; unaffordable and inadequate healthcare; systemic racism; xenophobia; and gender and sexual discrimination.

To my mind, An Oral History of the Next American Revolution takes an innovative approach to the typical storytelling format of a novel. It locates itself in a future time on an alternative earth, as though that time is now, and looks back on its history to tell the tale of the next American revolution. Like Truman Capote who created faction – the real-life novel – Michael creates an oral history that has not yet happened.

In serialising this novel, ZNetwork hopes to inspire and encourage everybody who is sick of the way things are today, who wishes it could be better, and who is willing to join with others to make that happen. We’re going to publish a chapter a week until the whole book is on the site. We’ve also got some stunning graphic representations of parts of book, written by Sean Michael Wilson and illustrated by Jaime Huxtable, and we’ll share these with you along the way.

In addition, Michael is going to present the novel excerpts on his podcast RevolutionZ, spicing it up with spontaneous criticism, questions, elaborations, and whatever else seems useful. And ZNetwork will offer Z’s Discord platform to allow readers and listeners to add their own thoughts and queries to the mix.

It’s all something of an experiment and it might not fly. But then again, it just might. Isn’t it worth a try either way?

And so, we cordially invite you to come with us on this journey… from tomorrow to today—and back.

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