In this column published in The St. Louis American, Bayard Rustin clarifies his views on political realignment, arguing that the democratic left must engage the working class while opposing the disruptive tactics of the New Left. He warns that alienating working-class Americans could strengthen conservative forces and calls for a broader coalition united around economic justice and political stability.
Bayard Rustin’s "The Liberal Coalition and the 1968 Elections": A Blueprint for Economic Realignment
In this election-year essay, Bayard Rustin calls for a powerful coalition between labor, liberals, and the civil rights movement to defeat a reactionary alliance blocking racial and economic justice. He warns that without a serious, unified political strategy—anchored in programs like A. Philip Randolph’s Freedom Budget—the nation risks repeating the betrayal of Reconstruction and abandoning the promise of democracy.
