Abstract
Dr. Melissa Snarr’s book is a worthwhile read for labor educators and labor activists. It has case studies of several living wage initiatives, as well as interesting (and scholarly) treatment of the intersection of sociology, political economy, feminism, philosophy, ethics and theology in the living wage movement. It also explains the unappreciated role of religious communities in living wage campaigns and offers insights on coalition building, effective organizing, and the pervasive traps of neoliberal ideology which insidiously undermine progressive social movements and economic development. Snarr’s book is valuable on all these fronts. It also lays bare the connection between the human spirit and the need for social and economic justice, and it provides an understanding of the power of religion and ethics to motivate activists to work for the common good. On these latter points, Snarr’s work offers wisdom for building and sustaining social movements.
Snarr’s approach forces—or entices—the reader to think deeply. She shows the possibility and power of coalition building and the moral imperative of self-advocacy, clearly identifying the problems of hierarchical organizations such as labor and religious institutions. In this respect, as in her exposé of neoliberalism, her tone is refreshingly radical without being strident—a very effective approach.
While the critical importance of the living wage movement to the material well-being of low wage workers may be obvious, Snarr’s discussion of our interconnectivity makes the plight of “the other” relevant. Snarr takes the concept of solidarity and expands it to define “theological solidarity, grounded . . . in the inclusive love of God” (p.153). For people of faith, such solidarity transcends a solidarity based on occupational or union status and suggests an even stronger link drawing human beings into coalition for social and economic justice. This notion of solidarity is instructive for unions and workers because it incorporates “A preferential option for the poor [which] shifts the focus of poverty discussions from individual failure onto the social structures that produce inequity and deprivation, and calls for a reordering of society to provide justice, not just charity” (p. 154). Thus, Snarr simply and eloquently exposes the failure of neoliberalism and the fallacy of the “deserving poor,” a divisive mischaracterization that fatally distracts from the need—and the possibility—for transformation or revolution.
Snarr notes that both religion and labor have histories laced with racism, sexism, and xenophobia which can neither be dismissed nor overcome through denial. The chapter on women’s work in the movement names “The historically unhealthy alliance of sacrifice, service, and women . . .” (p. 103), which exposes the hypocrisy and futility of personal sacrifice and the unsustainability of working for a cause that ignites passions yet burns people out. These are important lessons for labor.
The major strength of this book lies not in the statistics, facts, and stories of living wage campaigns, all of which are well presented, thoroughly researched, and well worth the read. The strength, rather, lies in the connections made between ethical behavior, religious teachings, and empowerment as the foundation for meaningful and effective coalition building. By going even further to name the paradoxes of organizing which result in exploitation of activists rather than transformation of systems, Snarr acknowledges the contradictions created by human frailty, both individually and organizationally. Thus the book goes beyond the mantra of “Organize!” and the cry of “Solidarity!” to discuss what that means in actual campaigns for a living wage, while acknowledging the pitfalls that reduce the effectiveness of such campaigns.
The depth of analysis and reflection that Snarr employs and which she demands from her reader represents an exercise of the intellect and of the spirit. Organizing would be more effective if time were spent studying the contradictions, paradoxes and pitfalls, and, ultimately, the wisdom of Snarr’s thoughts on ethics and religion in social movements.