This book is a polemic presentation of the problems with capitalism, showing a systematic abuse of the working class and ending with a lesson of how socialism would work in the United States. The language is slightly antiquated, but the story does evoke a lot of sympathy, even when the main character briefly becomes a criminal. The descriptions of working in the meat packing industry around the turn of the last century are stomach turning, which wasn't the point, but caused some controversy when published. This is a roughly 1900's book, so there is some casual racism and sexism to be aware of.