Shackled and Chained, Mass Incarceration in Captalist America is a thorough examination of mass incarceration, its causes and consequences. Eugene Puryear examines the evolution of mass incarceration as a product of the exigencies of U.S. monopoly capitalism as well as bipartisan political fealty to the system's needs. In addition to detailing its historical origins, Puryear provides a detailed examination of the oppressive reality that reigns inside America's prison system. This book is a must read for anyone interested in the "how" and "why" of mass incarceration as well as for those seeking a factual account of what it is truly like "inside."