The Guarantee is a non‑fiction book authored by Natalie Foster, with a foreword by Angela Garbes, published by The New Press on 23 April 2024. The work, comprising 288 pages (ISBN 978‑1‑62097‑846‑7), presents a policy agenda termed the “Guarantee Framework,” which proposes that the United States government assume responsibility for ensuring that all citizens have access to a set of basic economic securities.
Synopsis
Foster argues that existing American institutions already provide a range of government‑backed guarantees—such as bailouts, bankruptcy protections, and recent expansions of the child tax credit—but that these safeguards are unevenly applied, favoring wealthy individuals and corporations. The book proposes extending similar guarantees to the broader population, including:
- Universal health care
- Secure, affordable housing
- Access to higher education and student‑loan forgiveness
- A guaranteed basic income or “income floor”
- Protection for renters against unjust evictions
- Support for family care and inheritance security
The narrative draws on Foster’s experience as co‑founder of the Economic Security Project and references contemporary legislative proposals from politicians such as Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders. It also outlines a “Contract for the American Dream,” a crowdsourced agenda that calls for higher taxes on the wealthy, expanded worker participation in corporate governance, and other reforms aimed at reducing economic inequality.
Reception
The book received favorable reviews in several outlets. Kirkus Reviews described it as a “cogent argument for an economy benefiting working people” and praised its “well‑reasoned call for remaking economic policy to level the playing field for the dispossessed.” The New Press promoted the work as a catalyst for shifting public debate from “no‑guardrails capitalism” toward a system that “works for all of its people.”
Significance
The Guarantee contributes to contemporary discussions on universal basic services and social safety‑net expansions in the United States. By framing a set of comprehensive guarantees as a cohesive policy package, it seeks to influence both public opinion and legislative agendas concerning economic justice and the role of government in securing fundamental human needs.
