Fight Oligarchy

2025 was a difficult year, especially in terms of United States politics and social issues. So the here’s the energy I want to bring into 2026: Fight Oligarchy by Bernie Sanders. This is a succinct book that dives directly into his unwavering message of acknowledging the real issues brought on by billionaires… and using our collective energy to definitively fix those issues.

What I Liked:

• Clear data on the evils of billionaires and oligarchs. While some politicians rely on conjecture and manipulation, Bernie Sanders always backs up his stances with actual evidence. Here, he points to the specific laws and court rulings that have gotten us to where we are now. He presents the numbers, showing just how more more the billionaires have than the rest of us, and how that translates to so much more power. The data is eye-opening and, frankly, infuriating.
• How it impacts US politics for the worse. Indeed, billionaire influence means they get ever more while we all get less. There’s a cost to pay for their obscene wealth, and we are paying it in nearly every sphere of our lives. Billionaires have become the oligarchs who are molding the country—and the world—into their own playground. A quick look at oligarchs around in various other countries further drives home the point of what is happening in the United States. As Bernie describes Trump’s current presidency, it’s “government of the billionaire class, by the billionaire class, for the billionaire class.”
• We the people want change. Trump offers change… but in the WRONG direction. As Bernie urges, Democrats, too, need to campaign on positive economic change for people, not just more of the same. Progressives get this; when will the rest of the party? Because until they do, Republicans are filling that void with their obvious (albeit terrible) changes.
• A rallying cry for all of us to fight back. We must all get involved however we can, whether that’s running for office or starting a social media account dedicated to sharing your views. Apathy is not the answer. I appreciate the ultimate message here: Pay attention, don’t give up, and get involved in the politics that impact us all.

Audiobook:

Bernie Sanders narrates his own book, which makes it an especially satisfying format. He’s an excellent orator, and I love being able to hear his passion and personality here. He has a sense of humor, even in the face of such grave times.

Final Thoughts

Fight Oligarchy is an essential read, especially now. Everyone should read this, become as informed as possible about our political reality, and find ways to get involved. Despite how daunting the task seems right now, and how far the US has spiraled just in the past year, I found this book to be motivating. We must keep pushing for a better political sphere. Not one built by and for the oligarchs, but one that represents the millions who make up the 99%. Collectively, we do have the power, and we must harness it now.

Get the Book

You can buy Fight Oligarchy here – it’s available as a paperback, ebook, and audiobook.

Fight Oligarchy by Bernie Sanders
Audiobook Narrator	Bernie Sanders
Audience	Adult
Genre	Nonfiction: Politics & Social Issues
Number of Pages	160
Format I Read	Audiobook
Original Publication Date	October 21, 2025
Publisher	Crown

Official Summary

“Oligarchy is a system in which a small number of extremely wealthy individuals control the economic, political, and media life of a nation. It is a system in which ordinary people have very little power to determine the future of their country. If you’re an American, it is the system in which you’re living. That must change. In the wealthiest nation on earth we must build a political movement that creates a government that represents all Americans, not just a handful of billionaires.”
—Bernie Sanders

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Senator Bernie Sanders breaks down the unprecedented crises we face today in Trump’s America, as Trump undermines democracy at every turn—and how we can effectively fight back.

From the moment that Sanders began his Fighting Oligarchy tour in the early days of the Trump administration, it was clear that his message resonated with Americans across the political spectrum. Record-breaking crowds numbering in the tens of thousands showed up across the country. Large numbers of Americans, in red states and blue states, were prepared to stand up and fight back. In this book, he shows how we can continue that fight.

In a series of short, pointed chapters, Sanders explains how the United States today is an oligarchic society in which a small handful of multibillionaires exercise enormous economic and political power. He describes what it means when the very rich get much richer, while the majority of Americans struggle to pay the rent and put food on the table. And he observes how a corrupt campaign finance system allows billionaires in both parties to increasingly control our political system.

Sanders also discusses how, under Trump, we are rapidly moving toward authoritarianism–with a president who is undermining our democracy as he attacks Congress, the courts, the media, and law firms and universities in search of more and more power for himself. With relentless optimism and focused energy, Sanders reminds readers that true power rests with the people—and he presents a path forward to a reinvigorated democracy.