The Call to Action: Robert Reich’s Defining Speech at Berkeley
On a crisp April afternoon in 2025, thousands gathered at the University of California, Berkeley, their eyes fixed on a podium where Robert Reich—economist, former U.S. Secretary of Labor, and lifelong advocate for economic justice—stood ready to address a nation at a crossroads. His speech, titled What We Must Do Now, wasn’t just a lecture; it was a roadmap for reclaiming democracy in an era of deepening inequality.
Reich began with a sobering truth: “We’ve spent decades diagnosing the problem. We know wealth and power are concentrated in fewer hands than at any point in modern history. The question isn’t what’s wrong—it’s what are we prepared to do about it?” The crowd erupted, a mix of students, activists, and working-class families who’d traveled hours to hear him speak.
The Crisis of Concentration
Reich wasted no time dissecting the root issue: the unchecked consolidation of corporate and political power. “When three companies control most of what you buy, when five tech giants dictate how we communicate, and when billionaires fund campaigns to silence workers’ voices,” he argued, “democracy becomes a spectator sport.” He cited startling statistics: the top 1% now owns 38% of America’s wealth, while median wages have stagnated for 50 years.
But Reich’s message wasn’t one of despair. It was a call to dismantle monopolies, strengthen antitrust laws, and empower labor unions. “We broke up Standard Oil and Ma Bell,” he reminded the audience. “Why not Amazon or Meta? Why not hospitals charging $10 for an aspirin?” The solution, he argued, lies in redefining “progress” not as corporate profits but as shared prosperity.
Rewriting the Rules of Work
A central theme of Reich’s speech was the urgent need to modernize labor protections. “The gig economy isn’t innovation—it’s feudalism with an app,” he quipped, drawing laughter and applause. He proposed a “21st-century social contract” that guarantees benefits for all workers, whether they’re full-time employees or freelance drivers. Universal healthcare, portable retirement accounts, and paid family leave, he insisted, aren’t perks—they’re basic rights.
He also took aim at corporate boards. “If companies can spend millions lobbying Congress, why can’t workers have a seat at the table?” Reich championed Germany’s model of co-determination, where employees hold up to half of corporate board seats. “When workers help steer the ship,” he said, “companies invest in their communities instead of offshore tax havens.”
Education as Liberation
Berkeley’s activist spirit loomed large as Reich turned to education. “Public colleges used to be engines of upward mobility,” he noted. “Now, students leave with debt that follows them like a shadow.” His fix? Free tuition at public universities, funded by closing tax loopholes for private equity firms and hedge funds. “Education shouldn’t be a luxury—it’s how we equip the next generation to solve problems we can’t yet imagine.”
He reserved special criticism for the growing influence of private equity in schools. “When Wall Street buys up daycare centers and hikes tuition, it’s not ‘investment’—it’s profiteering off our kids.” The crowd roared as he vowed to push legislation banning private equity from essential public services.
The Climate Imperative
Reich seamlessly wove climate justice into his economic vision. “You can’t separate inequality from environmental collapse,” he asserted. Low-income communities, he explained, breathe dirtier air and face disproportionate climate risks. His climate plan fused green jobs with equity: retrofitting homes for energy efficiency, expanding solar cooperatives, and ensuring fossil fuel workers transition to renewable industries.
“This isn’t about sacrifice,” he clarified. “It’s about building a world where clean air and good jobs aren’t mutually exclusive.”
A Democracy Worth Fighting For
The most stirring moment came as Reich addressed threats to voting rights. “When corporations can spend unlimited money to elect their puppets, and when states make it harder for students or people of color to vote, democracy is a myth.” He called for abolishing the Electoral College, enacting public campaign financing, and making Election Day a national holiday.
But his ultimate message was about collective power. “Change doesn’t come from presidents or billionaires. It comes from movements—from ordinary people refusing to accept the unacceptable.” He pointed to historic wins: the New Deal, Civil Rights Act, and marriage equality, all born from grassroots pressure.
The Path Forward
As the speech closed, Reich left the crowd with three actionable steps:
1. Organize locally: Join unions, tenant groups, or climate coalitions.
2. Demand corporate accountability: Boytail companies undermining worker rights or the environment.
3. Vote—and then keep voting: Elect leaders who’ll fight for structural change, not incremental tweaks.
The standing ovation lasted minutes. Students clutched signs reading “Tax Wealth, Not Work” and “Our Future Isn’t for Sale.” Outside Sproul Plaza, volunteers registered voters while others distributed pamphlets for statewide ballot measures targeting corporate greed.
Robert Reich’s Berkeley speech may have lasted an hour, but its message echoed a timeless truth: Progress isn’t inevitable. It’s built by those willing to imagine a fairer world—and fight like hell to create it. The year 2025 could mark a turning point, but only if enough people decide, as Reich urged, that “justice isn’t a spectator sport.”
In the weeks that followed, his words rippled far beyond California. Town halls debated his proposals, classrooms analyzed his arguments, and social media buzzed with WhatWeMustDoNow. Whether this momentum translates into lasting change depends on us all. After all, as Reich reminded Berkeley, “Democracy isn’t something we have. It’s something we do.”
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