Short, practical, nonviolent playbook concrete ways people in the U.S. organize to reduce the power of capitalism and build alternatives to corporate capitalism. I’ll list approaches, quick actionable steps you can take, and reliable resources to learn more.

1) Build worker power: unions & collective bargaining

Why it matters: Unions raise wages, improve conditions, and give workers institutional power at work. Start small and local: talk to coworkers, contact an established union for help, and organize around concrete demands. The AFL‑CIO has step‑by‑step guidance on forming a union. 

Quick actions

Talk privately with coworkers about shared problems and goals. Reach out to a union organizer for confidentiality and strategy. Collect signed authorization cards or pursue a card‑check/election per organizer advice.

2) Create alternatives to capitalist firms: worker co‑ops & solidarity economics

Why it matters: Worker co‑ops put ownership and control in workers’ hands instead of shareholders. There are practical how‑to guides (planning, governance, financing) published by cooperative organizations. 

Quick actions

Join or form a co‑op incubator/collective in your city. Read practical guides (NCBA CLUSA, US Federation of Worker Co‑ops) and run a feasibility meeting with potential members. Look into technical assistance and local cooperative development funds.

3) Mutual aid and community solidarity (meet immediate needs)

Why it matters: Mutual aid networks redistribute resources directly, strengthen community ties, and reduce dependency on market institutions; they were crucial during COVID‑19. Academic and practitioner writeups show mutual aid’s practical impact. 

Quick actions

Start or join a mutual aid group (food distribution, tool libraries, community fridges). Coordinate resource lists, rota systems, and clear accountability. Use mutual aid to build relationships that can translate into political power.

4) Electoral and policy organizing change the rules of the game

Why it matters: taxation, anti‑monopoly enforcement, labor law, housing policy and public ownership choices require law and regulation. Grassroots advocacy and lobbying local government can shift budgets and rules. Guides exist for influencing local budgets and campaigns. 

Quick actions

Lobby City Council / school board on specific policies (e.g., community land trusts, municipal broadband). Support candidates with pro‑labor, pro‑public‑services platforms and run or recruit community members for local office. Build or join ballot‑initiative campaigns where available.

5) Nonviolent direct action, protest, and public campaigns (with legal awareness)

Why it matters: Public pressure shapes narratives and forces officials/corporations to respond. Know your rights before you act, the ACLU resources explain protesters’ legal protections and limits. 

Quick actions

Plan nonviolent actions around clear demands and outcomes. Train participants in de‑escalation and legal rights. Document actions and build public narratives (social media, local press).

6) Economic pressure: consumer choices, boycotts, and shareholder activism

Why it matters, coordinated boycotts, supporting ethical alternatives, and using shareholder proposals (if you own stock or through community investment vehicles) can alter corporate incentives.

Quick actions

Organize targeted, well‑publicized boycotts with clear demands and a fallback plan. Put money in community banks, credit unions, and local businesses or co‑ops. Explore community investment and public banking options.

7) Build institutions: community land trusts, public goods, and cooperative finance

Why it matters: Creating durable public or community‑owned assets reduces the space for private profit extraction (affordable housing, municipal utilities, community-owned broadband). Look into local precedents and development guides. 

Quick actions

Convene stakeholders to research a community land trust or municipal service. Apply for grants, partner with nonprofits, and run pilot projects.

8) Culture, education, media, shift public opinion long term

Why it matters: Ideas shape political possibilities. Teach, write, create art, and run public info campaigns that explain alternatives (worker ownership, public provision) in plain language.

Quick actions

Host reading groups, film nights, teach-ins. Publish op‑eds, zines, social posts that explain concrete policy alternatives (e.g., public banking, progressive tax changes).

Practical quick-start checklist (what you can do in the next 30 days)

Call/meet a union organizer or mutual aid group. (AFL‑CIO/local co‑op groups).  Attend one city council meeting and raise a specific local policy ask (use grassroots advocacy guides).  Join or start a neighborhood mutual‑aid channel (phone list, weekly distribution).  Read ACLU’s “Know Your Rights” for protesting and civil‑liberties basics. 

Warnings and legal notes

I’m not recommending illegal or violent activity. Civil disobedience carries legal risk, so plan with legal observers and know your rights. See ACLU resources.  Institutional change takes time and requires building durable organizations, not just one‑off actions.

Resources (to read next)

AFL‑CIO: Form a Union guide.  NCBA CLUSA and U.S. Federation of Worker Co‑ops: how to start a co‑op.  Academic/research summaries on mutual aid (PMC / Georgetown Beeck Center).  ACLU: Protesters’ rights and legal guidance.  Grassroots advocacy/local budget guides (NACCHO and others). 

Written by MissJulesNYC October, 2025