# Endnotes explained — The Iron Heel

> Chapter companion for The Iron Heel by Jack London.

## What happens

The endnotes provide historical and contextual annotations for the main text, elaborating on themes such as the corruption of institutions, the dehumanizing nature of capitalism, the role of propaganda, and the class struggle. They include references to child labor, political machines, corporate power, and the suppression of dissenting ideas, as well as citations of historical figures like Abraham Lincoln and Karl Marx.

## Themes in this chapter

### Class Struggle and the Rise of Oligarchy

The endnotes detail the division of society into plutocratic, middle, and proletariat classes, and describe the consolidation of corporate power into an oligarchy.

### Corruption of Institutions (Church, State, Labor)

Notes highlight the church's defense of slavery and capitalism, the bias of universities, and the corruption of political machines by capitalists.

### Ideology, Propaganda, and the Control of Thought

The endnotes discuss how 'phrase slaves' were manipulated by words like 'utopian,' and how education was biased to support the capitalist regime.

### The Dehumanizing Nature of Capitalism

References to child labor, 'leg-bars,' and the treatment of workers as mere tools underscore the dehumanizing effects of the capitalist system.

## Character check-ins

### Ernest Everhard

Referenced in endnotes for his critiques of capitalism, the church, and the education system, and for his analysis of class divisions.

### Avis Everhard

Implied as the author of the manuscript to which these endnotes are appended, though not directly mentioned.

### John Cunningham

Mentioned indirectly through the reference to 'Professor Cunningham' in the context of the capitalistic bias of universities.

### Biedenbach

Referenced as 'Comrade Biedenbach' in the context of the dinner of the machine breakers, though not directly in these endnotes.

## Key lines

> The people of that age were phrase slaves. The abjectness of their servitude is incomprehensible to us. There was a magic in words greater than the conjurer’s art.

People in that era were easily manipulated by language, and their mental enslavement is hard for us to understand today.

_This endnote criticizes the susceptibility of the public to propaganda and empty rhetoric._

> Even as late as 1912, AD , the great mass of the people still persisted in the belief that they ruled the country by virtue of their ballots. In reality, the country was ruled by what were called 'political machines.'

As late as 1912, most people believed they governed through voting, but actual control lay with political machines owned by capitalists.

_This highlights the illusion of democracy and the reality of oligarchic control._

> The book created a furor, and was promptly suppressed by the Oligarchy.

The book caused an uproar and was quickly banned by the ruling elite.

_Refers to the suppression of Everhard's 'Economics and Education,' illustrating censorship of dissenting ideas._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_iron_heel_se/chapters/endnotes
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_iron_heel_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_iron_heel_se/chapters