The Last Days — The Iron Heel

The Iron Heel reveals its master strategy for preventing revolution: buying off the strongest labor unions with massive wage increases and privileges, creating a labor aristocracy that abandons their fellow workers. This 'grab-sharing' system forces the general public to pay for these higher wages through increased prices, while non-favored workers face harsher conditions and lower pay. The betrayed workers turn violent against the 'traitors,' leading to street fights, assassinations, and complete social segregation. The favored union members and their families are forced into separate communities with better housing, schools, and treatment, creating a permanent caste system within the working class.

Meanwhile, the rest of the world erupts in revolution and chaos. Japan crushes its own socialist uprising with brutal efficiency, executing tens of thousands. England barely holds onto India while losing its colonies to socialist movements. Religious mania sweeps America as desperate people, finding no earthly hope, flock to apocalyptic preachers proclaiming the end times.

Hundreds of thousands abandon work to wait for divine salvation in the mountains, only to starve. The Iron Heel uses military force to drive the religious fanatics back to work, executing their leaders. Through all this chaos and division, the Oligarchy grows stronger, using the very confusion it helped create to justify its iron control. While Grangers and socialists boast about their electoral victories and growing support, Ernest grimly asks the crucial question: 'How many rifles have you got?' He understands that when the moment of truth comes, political power without military force means nothing against the Iron Heel's armies.