American democracy depends on united support by the largest economic class in the nation—the middle class. But this class faces a crisis of internal division, threatening America’s future. If conflict continues to worsen, it could lead to violence, threatening democracy itself.

Since the 1980s, the upper middle class—the affluent group just below the top one percent—has reaped far more benefit from economic growth than the rest of the class. This division has provoked anger among those without the opportunity to move up. Healing this division would require expanding opportunity, with political support from the entire middle class, but class conflict has made this impossible.

Given that the primary barrier to opportunity expansion is a lack of middle class unity, Paul Eckert’s Healing Middle-Class Democracy focuses on principles that make unity possible: respect and fairness, enabling cooperation. Expanding opportunity would not require the formation of a new political party or affiliation with an existing party—rather, reform would demand that every political party support such an agenda.

Eckert argues that a united middle class could protect the affluence of upper-income groups while increasing upward mobility for those lower on the income scale. Government investment would be concentrated on increasing the competitive capacity of citizens to get better jobs and start new businesses.

There is hope for unity and opportunity, but Americans have no cause for complacency. Conflict is escalating, and soon it may be too late for reform. The time for action is now.