The Harper’s Index, that cheeky, opinionated list of facts and figures in the front of the progressive American magazine is the most imitated editorial idea ever. It’s easy to see why. Tireless research by Harper’s staff unearths numbers that succinctly illuminate a conflict, an issue or a situation with a directness not found in long-winded essays.
It’s a strategy that David Lester, author of the Gruesome Acts of Capitalism tries to repeat. Like the Index, this book tries to show the exploitation, inequality and suffering wrought by a global economic system bent on profit above all else. Yes, the numbers are harrowing: the lack of children without education, clean water or the love of their parents, salaries of CEOs, the money spent on arms, all of it quite tragic and worthy of a fight.
But too often these numbers exist in a vacuum. You obviously can’t tackle the history of racism, colonialism and economics in one volume. But Lester seems negligent in not pointing us to other works that explain some of these issues. He gives us a list of websites and quick profiles of anarchists, thinkers and activists, but those of us roused to action by the book will have a hard time finding other words to fuel the fire. (Ron Nurwisah)
by David Lester, $10.95, 112 pgs, Arbeiter Ring Press, 201E-121 Osborne Street, Winnipeg, MB, R3L 1Y4, arbeiterring.com