The Iron Heel

The Iron Heel is a book by Jack London, first published in 1908. A bold and unsettling work of early dystopian fiction, the novel imagines a future America ruled by a ruthless oligarchy that has crushed democracy in the name of profit and power. Presented as a discovered manuscript framed by scholarly commentary from the distant future, the story blends political philosophy, speculative fiction, and social critique in a way that was remarkably ahead of its time.

The narrative is told through the voice of Avis Everhard, an intelligent and idealistic woman who becomes increasingly involved in revolutionary politics after meeting her future husband, Ernest Everhard, a charismatic socialist thinker and organiser. Through their experiences, the novel charts the steady rise of an elite corporate class—the “Iron Heel”—as it consolidates control over industry, government, and the military, brutally suppressing labour movements and dissent.

As strikes, uprisings, and covert resistance spread, London explores the mechanics of authoritarian rule, class struggle, and propaganda with striking clarity. The novel does not shy away from depicting the failures, internal divisions, and personal sacrifices within the revolutionary movement, grounding its political ideas in lived experience rather than abstract theory.

Often cited as a precursor to later dystopian classics, The Iron Heel remains one of Jack London’s most provocative and intellectually ambitious works. Its themes of economic inequality, corporate power, and the fragility of democratic institutions continue to resonate, making it an essential read for anyone interested in political fiction, socialist literature, or the early foundations of dystopian novels.