Unlike traditional Marxists who thought that socialism meant the government would seize control of companies and industries, modern Marxists recognize that companies and industries can effectively be controlled through extensive regulations. A prime example is underway in California, where socialists have targeted most fast-food outlets for a de facto government and union takeover.

The restaurant industry is fighting back. It has obtained enough signatures to get a referendum on the ballot this November. Socialists and their allies are furious that voters will have a say on this issue. They are pushing a bill through the legislature that will gut the traditional franchise model and destroy the independence of these small-business owners.

This episode of What’s Ahead warns that what is happening here has profound implications. It’s a model of how socialists hope to achieve government control of the private sector.