What is the setting of The Iron Heel by Jack London?

There are two settings here: the setting of the story and the setting of the commentary. In terms of the former, the setting is early twentieth century America, a time in which, for both the book and the world, the stirrings of significant social upheaval were just beginning. In terms of the commentary, the setting is twenty-sixth century America, a time in which the struggle between socialism and capitalism has been resolved once and for all, with idealized socialism emerging as the dominant force in society, economics, philosophy and politics.