Making a New Deal

Making a New Deal examines working-class life and culture in Chicago during the period between World War I and the Great Depression. Through extensive research of company records, union documents, and workers' testimonies, Cohen tracks how ethnic industrial workers transformed from isolated groups into a unified political force. The book focuses on workers' relationships with employers, entertainment venues, chain stores, unions, and political organizations during this pivotal era. Cohen analyzes how mass culture and mass consumption reshaped worker identity and class consciousness in Chicago's diverse immigrant communities. Workers' shifting allegiances - from ethnic organizations and local shops to mass retailers and industrial unions - form the central narrative thread. The transformation of Chicago's working class provides context for understanding the emergence of New Deal coalition politics and the rise of industrial unionism in the 1930s. This social history reveals how economic and cultural changes laid the groundwork for a new type of American working-class identity that transcended ethnic divisions. The workers' journey from fragmentation to solidarity offers insights into the social foundations of modern American liberalism.

Readers appreciate Cohen's detailed research and focus on immigrant workers' daily lives, community institutions, and the transformation of Chicago's working class. Many reviewers highlight her examination of how ethnic workers united across cultural divisions. Specific praise centers on Cohen's analysis of chain stores, radio, and mass culture as forces that brought workers together. A Goodreads reviewer noted: "Her arguments about consumer culture creating class consciousness are fascinating." Common criticisms include dense academic writing and excessive detail that can make sections feel tedious. Some readers wanted more coverage of African American workers and women's experiences. Goodreads: 3.8/5 (238 ratings) - "Thorough but dry at times" - multiple reviewers - "Heavy on statistics and data" Amazon: 4.3/5 (31 ratings) - "Well-researched but challenging to get through" - "Important perspective on labor history but writing style is academic" Google Books: 4/5 (112 ratings)

The Rise of the New Deal by Arthur Schlesinger Jr. A history of working class Americans and political transformation during the Great Depression through Roosevelt's economic programs.

City of Women by Christine Stansell An examination of working women's lives, culture, and social networks in nineteenth-century New York City.

Land of Hope by James Grossman A study of African American migration to Chicago and the formation of community institutions from 1915-1940.

Once Upon a Time in New York by Herbert Mitgang The transformation of immigrant and working-class New York through labor movements, politics, and cultural institutions from 1890 to 1940.

Working-Class New York by Joshua Freeman The story of how labor unions and working-class politics shaped New York City's development from the 1930s through the 1950s.

🏭 While many labor histories focus on unions and strikes, Cohen's work examines how Chicago's immigrant workers built community through shared consumer experiences, like shopping at the same stores and attending the same movies. 📻 The rise of mass media, particularly radio, played a crucial role in creating a unified working-class culture across ethnic lines in 1920s and 1930s Chicago. 👥 Before writing this book, Lizabeth Cohen conducted over 100 oral history interviews with Chicago residents who lived through the period, adding personal depth to her historical research. 🏆 "Making a New Deal" won the prestigious Bancroft Prize in American History in 1991, establishing Cohen as a leading voice in labor and social history. 🗳️ The book reveals how Chicago workers who had once voted based on ethnic loyalties shifted their political allegiances to support FDR and the New Deal, fundamentally changing American politics.