independent radical book publisher

PM Press

An independent radical book publisher founded in 2007, publishing literature, politics, history, labor, antifascism, anarchism, gender, race, and social-movement books. PM Press sits near the B/C boundary because the catalog has high dissent value, but public evidence of democratic ownership is weaker than AK Press or cooperative publishers.

Why this matters: PM Press is worth adding as a positive comparison, but not over-crediting: it publishes important books outside mainstream channels, while ownership/governance evidence is not as strong as AK Press.

Letter grade B Qualified Medium confidence (AI) Rubric gcd-rubric-v1 Last reviewed May 8, 2026

Final Score 43* B - Qualified

BQUALIFIED43 pts

* Tentative scaffolding score. Not human-checked or final.

Base Material45

Bonus+8

Cap66No structure cap

After Cap53

Penalties-10

!Not Verified

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Evaluation Overview

B - Qualified

The score turns mainly on Extraction, with the largest penalty coming from Reversibility.

Strengths

Extraction7/10
Solidarity with the Unemployed6/7
Loss-Bearing Fidelity6/7

Penalties

Reversibility-5
Accountability Opacity-2
Identity Capture-2
Ecological Harm-1

Evidence state

ConfidenceMedium confidence (AI)
ThoroughnessDeveloped (AI)
Linked claims12
Direct axis claims10
Coverage10/17

Scoring Axes

Axis	Score	Why this score
Ownership ? Control rights: shareholder-dominated at 0, worker cooperative control at 10.	5 / 10	The linked record identifies PM Press as an independent radical publisher founded in 2007, but this pass did not verify worker-ownership or nonprofit control. The linked record identifies PM Press as an independent radical publisher founded in 2007, but this pass did not verify worker-ownership or nonprofit control. That places PM Press in the middle of Ownership: there is some mission, member, producer, or public-interest constraint, but decisive control is not fully democratic. The value stays below the top tier because the linked record does not show full democratic control, non-extractive lock-in, or complete stakeholder protection on this axis. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Positive book-publisher search; calibrated against existing trade, academic, nonprofit, worker-owned, author-owned, and self-publishing entries. Uncertainty Focused positive-publisher pass; later review should add direct author-contract, labor, pricing, financial, and governance-document evidence. Linked evidence PM Press describes itself as an independent radical publisher founded in 2007, but this pass did not verify worker-ownership or nonprofit control. [1]
Governance ? Binding decision authority: centralized control at 0, democratic stakeholder control at 10.	5 / 10	The linked record identifies PM Press as an independent radical publisher founded in 2007, but this pass did not verify worker-ownership or nonprofit control. The linked record identifies PM Press as an independent radical publisher founded in 2007, but this pass did not verify worker-ownership or nonprofit control. That places PM Press in the middle of Governance: there are accountability mechanisms, but they stop short of broad democratic control. The value stays below the top tier because the linked record does not show full democratic control, non-extractive lock-in, or complete stakeholder protection on this axis. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Positive book-publisher search; calibrated against existing trade, academic, nonprofit, worker-owned, author-owned, and self-publishing entries. Uncertainty Focused positive-publisher pass; later review should add direct author-contract, labor, pricing, financial, and governance-document evidence. Linked evidence context PM Press describes itself as an independent radical publisher founded in 2007, but this pass did not verify worker-ownership or nonprofit control. [1] context PM Press publishes radical literature, art, music, politics, history, labor, antifascist, anarchist, gender, race, and social-movement books. [2] context PM Press has strong public-interest and dissent value, but weaker public ownership/governance evidence than worker-owned publishers. [3]
Extraction ? Surplus allocation, wage share, CEO pay ratio, margins, and structured extraction judgment.	7 / 10	The linked record identifies PM Press as an independent radical publisher founded in 2007, but this pass did not verify worker-ownership or nonprofit control. The linked record identifies PM Press as an independent radical publisher founded in 2007, but this pass did not verify worker-ownership or nonprofit control. That places PM Press in the middle of Extraction: the institution creates real value but still leaves room for rent extraction, unequal bargaining, or surplus capture. The value stays below the top tier because the linked record does not show full democratic control, non-extractive lock-in, or complete stakeholder protection on this axis. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Positive book-publisher search; calibrated against existing trade, academic, nonprofit, worker-owned, author-owned, and self-publishing entries. Uncertainty Focused positive-publisher pass; later review should add direct author-contract, labor, pricing, financial, and governance-document evidence. Linked evidence context PM Press describes itself as an independent radical publisher founded in 2007, but this pass did not verify worker-ownership or nonprofit control. [1] context PM Press publishes radical literature, art, music, politics, history, labor, antifascist, anarchist, gender, race, and social-movement books. [2] context PM Press has strong public-interest and dissent value, but weaker public ownership/governance evidence than worker-owned publishers. [3]
Labor Sovereignty ? Worker power: coercive conditions at 0, co-determination or ownership at 7. Employee dissatisfaction matters only when source-backed evidence shows concrete limits on worker agency, such as coercive scheduling, retaliation, wage theft, harassment, unsafe conditions, suppression of worker voice, or extreme turnover.	4 / 7	The linked record identifies PM Press as an independent radical publisher founded in 2007, but this pass did not verify worker-ownership or nonprofit control. The linked record identifies PM Press as an independent radical publisher founded in 2007, but this pass did not verify worker-ownership or nonprofit control. That places PM Press in the middle of Labor Sovereignty: workers or participants have some protection or agency, but not enough binding power to control the relationship. The value stays below the top tier because the linked record does not show full democratic control, non-extractive lock-in, or complete stakeholder protection on this axis. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Positive book-publisher search; calibrated against existing trade, academic, nonprofit, worker-owned, author-owned, and self-publishing entries. Uncertainty Focused positive-publisher pass; later review should add direct author-contract, labor, pricing, financial, and governance-document evidence. Linked evidence context PM Press describes itself as an independent radical publisher founded in 2007, but this pass did not verify worker-ownership or nonprofit control. [1] context PM Press publishes radical literature, art, music, politics, history, labor, antifascist, anarchist, gender, race, and social-movement books. [2] context PM Press has strong public-interest and dissent value, but weaker public ownership/governance evidence than worker-owned publishers. [3]
Solidarity with the Unemployed ? Treatment of exits and nonworkers, including severance, redeployment, and non-competes.	6 / 7	The linked record identifies PM Press as an independent radical publisher founded in 2007, but this pass did not verify worker-ownership or nonprofit control. The linked record identifies PM Press as an independent radical publisher founded in 2007, but this pass did not verify worker-ownership or nonprofit control. That places PM Press high on Solidarity with the Unemployed: the institution materially supports people outside ordinary employment rather than treating exit as abandonment. A still-higher or maximum value requires stronger proof that this structure is durable, broad, and not merely discretionary. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Positive book-publisher search; calibrated against existing trade, academic, nonprofit, worker-owned, author-owned, and self-publishing entries. Uncertainty Focused positive-publisher pass; later review should add direct author-contract, labor, pricing, financial, and governance-document evidence. Linked evidence context PM Press describes itself as an independent radical publisher founded in 2007, but this pass did not verify worker-ownership or nonprofit control. [1] context PM Press publishes radical literature, art, music, politics, history, labor, antifascist, anarchist, gender, race, and social-movement books. [2] context PM Press has strong public-interest and dissent value, but weaker public ownership/governance evidence than worker-owned publishers. [3]
Loss-Bearing Fidelity ? Willingness to absorb costs to preserve values, workers, users, and public obligations.	6 / 7	The linked record identifies PM Press as an independent radical publisher founded in 2007, but this pass did not verify worker-ownership or nonprofit control. The linked record identifies PM Press as an independent radical publisher founded in 2007, but this pass did not verify worker-ownership or nonprofit control. That places PM Press high on Loss-Bearing Fidelity: the institution is structured to absorb real costs rather than shifting losses onto weaker parties. A still-higher or maximum value requires stronger proof that this structure is durable, broad, and not merely discretionary. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Positive book-publisher search; calibrated against existing trade, academic, nonprofit, worker-owned, author-owned, and self-publishing entries. Uncertainty Focused positive-publisher pass; later review should add direct author-contract, labor, pricing, financial, and governance-document evidence. Linked evidence context PM Press describes itself as an independent radical publisher founded in 2007, but this pass did not verify worker-ownership or nonprofit control. [1] context PM Press publishes radical literature, art, music, politics, history, labor, antifascist, anarchist, gender, race, and social-movement books. [2] context PM Press has strong public-interest and dissent value, but weaker public ownership/governance evidence than worker-owned publishers. [3]
Market Conduct ? Pricing fairness, switching costs, lock-in, and rent extraction.	4 / 5	The linked record identifies PM Press as an independent radical publisher founded in 2007, but this pass did not verify worker-ownership or nonprofit control. The linked record identifies PM Press as an independent radical publisher founded in 2007, but this pass did not verify worker-ownership or nonprofit control. That places PM Press high on Market Conduct: pricing, access, switching, and bargaining practices show restraint compared with ordinary rent-seeking competitors. A still-higher or maximum value requires stronger proof that this structure is durable, broad, and not merely discretionary. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Positive book-publisher search; calibrated against existing trade, academic, nonprofit, worker-owned, author-owned, and self-publishing entries. Uncertainty Focused positive-publisher pass; later review should add direct author-contract, labor, pricing, financial, and governance-document evidence. Linked evidence context PM Press describes itself as an independent radical publisher founded in 2007, but this pass did not verify worker-ownership or nonprofit control. [1] context PM Press publishes radical literature, art, music, politics, history, labor, antifascist, anarchist, gender, race, and social-movement books. [2] context PM Press has strong public-interest and dissent value, but weaker public ownership/governance evidence than worker-owned publishers. [3]
Product Integrity ? Preservation of quality rather than degradation for monetization.	5 / 5	PM Press publishes radical literature, art, music, politics, history, labor, antifascist, anarchist, gender, race, and social-movement books. PM Press publishes radical literature, art, music, politics, history, labor, antifascist, anarchist, gender, race, and social-movement books. That places PM Press high on Product Integrity: the core offering is genuinely useful and comparatively less dependent on traps, degradation, or harmful dependencies. A still-higher or maximum value requires stronger proof that this structure is durable, broad, and not merely discretionary. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Positive book-publisher search; calibrated against existing trade, academic, nonprofit, worker-owned, author-owned, and self-publishing entries. Uncertainty Focused positive-publisher pass; later review should add direct author-contract, labor, pricing, financial, and governance-document evidence. Linked evidence PM Press publishes radical literature, art, music, politics, history, labor, antifascist, anarchist, gender, race, and social-movement books. [2]
Scale Integrity ? Whether growth improves or degrades fairness and accountability.	3 / 5	The linked record identifies PM Press as an independent radical publisher founded in 2007, but this pass did not verify worker-ownership or nonprofit control. The linked record identifies PM Press as an independent radical publisher founded in 2007, but this pass did not verify worker-ownership or nonprofit control. That places PM Press in the middle of Scale Integrity: scale brings useful reach but also weakens accountability, transparency, or local constraint. The value stays below the top tier because the linked record does not show full democratic control, non-extractive lock-in, or complete stakeholder protection on this axis. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Positive book-publisher search; calibrated against existing trade, academic, nonprofit, worker-owned, author-owned, and self-publishing entries. Uncertainty Focused positive-publisher pass; later review should add direct author-contract, labor, pricing, financial, and governance-document evidence. Linked evidence context PM Press describes itself as an independent radical publisher founded in 2007, but this pass did not verify worker-ownership or nonprofit control. [1] context PM Press publishes radical literature, art, music, politics, history, labor, antifascist, anarchist, gender, race, and social-movement books. [2] context PM Press has strong public-interest and dissent value, but weaker public ownership/governance evidence than worker-owned publishers. [3]

Penalties

Penalty	Applied	Why this penalty
Reversibility ? Applied when positive conduct depends on current living leaders, founders, family owners, or other person-contingent governance rather than durable structure. Range: -5 to 0.	-5	Without verified worker/nonprofit locks, goodness depends substantially on mission and leadership continuity. Without verified worker/nonprofit locks, goodness depends substantially on mission and leadership continuity. That warrants a severe Reversibility penalty because favorable conduct depends on current people or discretionary leadership rather than locked stakeholder structure. The value is near the floor because the conduct appears central, large-scale, repeated, or institutionally powerful rather than incidental. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Positive book-publisher search; calibrated against existing trade, academic, nonprofit, worker-owned, author-owned, and self-publishing entries. Uncertainty Focused positive-publisher pass; later review should add direct author-contract, labor, pricing, financial, and governance-document evidence. Linked evidence Without verified worker/nonprofit locks, goodness depends substantially on mission and leadership continuity. [8]
Ecological Harm ? Footprint, trajectory, irreversibility, culpability, and scale, including whether ecological harm is central to the model and continued after credible notice. Range: -30 to 0.	-1	Physical book publishing and distribution create modest ecological impacts. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Positive book-publisher search; calibrated against existing trade, academic, nonprofit, worker-owned, author-owned, and self-publishing entries. Uncertainty Focused positive-publisher pass; later review should add direct author-contract, labor, pricing, financial, and governance-document evidence. Linked evidence Physical book publishing and distribution create modest ecological impacts. [9]
Accountability Opacity ? Material opacity, reputation laundering, or hidden accountability structures that prevent public accountability. Range: -2 to 0.	-2	Ownership, governance, and author economics are only partly transparent. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Positive book-publisher search; calibrated against existing trade, academic, nonprofit, worker-owned, author-owned, and self-publishing entries. Uncertainty Focused positive-publisher pass; later review should add direct author-contract, labor, pricing, financial, and governance-document evidence. Linked evidence Ownership, governance, and author economics are only partly transparent. [10]
Identity Capture ? Customer pressure, employee pressure, and pervasive identity saturation. Range: -3 to 0.	-2	Radical movement publishing creates some identity-cluster risk, even when explicit and valuable. Radical movement publishing creates some identity-cluster risk, even when explicit and valuable. That warrants a substantial Identity Capture penalty because users, workers, customers, or publics are pressured into identity attachment that protects institutional power. The value is substantial but not at the floor because the linked record shows serious conduct without the strongest aggravating factors on this axis. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Positive book-publisher search; calibrated against existing trade, academic, nonprofit, worker-owned, author-owned, and self-publishing entries. Uncertainty Focused positive-publisher pass; later review should add direct author-contract, labor, pricing, financial, and governance-document evidence. Linked evidence Radical movement publishing creates some identity-cluster risk, even when explicit and valuable. [11]

Bonus Credits

Bonus	Credit	Why this credit
Openness to Dissent ? Credit for tolerating internal, user, customer, worker, and public dissent without retaliation, capture, or viewpoint laundering.	3 / 3	PM Press materially enables dissenting and radical publishing outside mainstream channels. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Positive book-publisher search; calibrated against existing trade, academic, nonprofit, worker-owned, author-owned, and self-publishing entries. Uncertainty Focused positive-publisher pass; later review should add direct author-contract, labor, pricing, financial, and governance-document evidence. Linked evidence PM Press materially enables dissenting and radical publishing outside mainstream channels. [4]
Constitutional Spirit ? Credit for respecting constitutional rights and civil-liberties norms even where private law does not strictly require it.	2 / 3	Publishing radical and social-movement books supports pluralistic speech and civic contestation. Publishing radical and social-movement books supports pluralistic speech and civic contestation. That supports partial Constitutional Spirit credit because the institution respects speech, privacy, due process, conscience, or civil-liberties norms beyond bare legal compulsion. The value remains partial because the linked record does not show the practice as comprehensive, durable, or central enough for full credit. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Positive book-publisher search; calibrated against existing trade, academic, nonprofit, worker-owned, author-owned, and self-publishing entries. Uncertainty Focused positive-publisher pass; later review should add direct author-contract, labor, pricing, financial, and governance-document evidence. Linked evidence Publishing radical and social-movement books supports pluralistic speech and civic contestation. [5]
Good Deal ? Credit for unusually fair value: durable quality, fair pricing, low lock-in, and clear customer surplus.	2 / 3	PM Press provides durable public-interest books, subscriptions, and direct reader access at ordinary small-press prices. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Positive book-publisher search; calibrated against existing trade, academic, nonprofit, worker-owned, author-owned, and self-publishing entries. Uncertainty Focused positive-publisher pass; later review should add direct author-contract, labor, pricing, financial, and governance-document evidence. Linked evidence PM Press provides durable public-interest books, subscriptions, and direct reader access at ordinary small-press prices. [6]
Cost Transparency ? Credit for clear posted prices, all-in fees, unit costs, public rate cards, margin/cost visibility, or surplus-allocation transparency, especially in markets where opaque quotes, hidden fees, or individualized pricing are normal.	1 / 3	PM Press has public direct-sales and book-club information, but internal economics and governance are not fully transparent. PM Press has public direct-sales and book-club information, but internal economics and governance are not fully transparent. That supports partial Cost Transparency credit because pricing, margins, fees, funding, or surplus allocation are made meaningfully legible. The value remains partial because the linked record does not show the practice as comprehensive, durable, or central enough for full credit. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Positive book-publisher search; calibrated against existing trade, academic, nonprofit, worker-owned, author-owned, and self-publishing entries. Uncertainty Focused positive-publisher pass; later review should add direct author-contract, labor, pricing, financial, and governance-document evidence. Linked evidence PM Press has public direct-sales and book-club information, but internal economics and governance are not fully transparent. [7]

Confidence Basis

Confidence is computed from the evidence trail and review state, not typed into the profile by hand.

Medium 69/100

12 verified linked claims 10 direct axis claims 0 disputed claims 10/17 components covered

This confidence label measures the source-backed evidence trail. AI-scaffolded scores remain tentative until human review.

Claim confidence 13/20

12 verified linked claims

Source quality 12/18

Best source per verified claim, weighted by institutional reliability

Direct axis-specific claims 9/18

10 direct claims across 17 active components

Dispute load 12/12

0 disputed claims on this entity

Recency 10/10

Newest accepted timestamp: May 13, 2026

Reviewer status 7/12

Human-reviewed components score higher than AI scaffolding

Component coverage 6/10

10/17 evidence-bearing components have direct support

Evidence State

Profile stateAI draft / human-pending

VerificationUnverified

ConfidenceMedium confidence (AI)

ThoroughnessDeveloped (AI)

Correction routeUse “Challenge this rating” for factual errors, missing counterevidence, source problems, or calculation mistakes.

Company responseCompany representatives can submit source-backed corrections; payment never changes scores or reviewer authority.

Claims and Sources

Claims are the evidence record. Each claim needs a source link, axis category, status, confidence level, and timestamp before it can support a score.

* Tentative scaffolding score. Not human-checked or final.

1PM Press describes itself as an independent radical publisher founded in 2007, but this pass did not verify worker-ownership or nonprofit control.

Ownership Verified Medium confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 8, 2026

AI scaffold

PM Press official siteGeneral web source · 58%
PM Press aboutOfficial self-description · 68%

2PM Press publishes radical literature, art, music, politics, history, labor, antifascist, anarchist, gender, race, and social-movement books.

Product Integrity Verified Medium confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 8, 2026

AI scaffold

PM Press official siteGeneral web source · 58%
PM Press aboutOfficial self-description · 68%

3PM Press has strong public-interest and dissent value, but weaker public ownership/governance evidence than worker-owned publishers.

Calculation Verified Medium confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 8, 2026

AI scaffold

PM Press official siteGeneral web source · 58%
PM Press aboutOfficial self-description · 68%

4PM Press materially enables dissenting and radical publishing outside mainstream channels.

Openness To Dissent Verified Medium confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 8, 2026

AI scaffold

PM Press official siteGeneral web source · 58%
PM Press aboutOfficial self-description · 68%

5Publishing radical and social-movement books supports pluralistic speech and civic contestation.

Constitutional Spirit Verified Medium confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 8, 2026

AI scaffold

PM Press official siteGeneral web source · 58%
PM Press aboutOfficial self-description · 68%

6PM Press provides durable public-interest books, subscriptions, and direct reader access at ordinary small-press prices.

Good Deal Verified Medium confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 8, 2026

AI scaffold

PM Press official siteGeneral web source · 58%
PM Press aboutOfficial self-description · 68%

7PM Press has public direct-sales and book-club information, but internal economics and governance are not fully transparent.

Cost Transparency Verified Medium confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 8, 2026

AI scaffold

PM Press official siteGeneral web source · 58%
PM Press aboutOfficial self-description · 68%

8Without verified worker/nonprofit locks, goodness depends substantially on mission and leadership continuity.

Reversibility Verified Medium confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 8, 2026

AI scaffold

PM Press official siteGeneral web source · 58%
PM Press aboutOfficial self-description · 68%

9Physical book publishing and distribution create modest ecological impacts.

Ecological Harm Verified Medium confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 8, 2026

AI scaffold

PM Press official siteGeneral web source · 58%
PM Press aboutOfficial self-description · 68%

10Ownership, governance, and author economics are only partly transparent.

Accountability Opacity Verified Medium confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 8, 2026

AI scaffold

PM Press official siteGeneral web source · 58%
PM Press aboutOfficial self-description · 68%

11Radical movement publishing creates some identity-cluster risk, even when explicit and valuable.

Identity Capture Verified Medium confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 8, 2026

AI scaffold

PM Press official siteGeneral web source · 58%
PM Press aboutOfficial self-description · 68%

12PM Press's public materials state a mission, values, ownership model, advocacy role, or institutional standpoint plainly enough that this record does not identify penalty-level neutrality theater.

Ideological Disavowal Verified Medium confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 9, 2026

AI scaffold

PM Press official siteGeneral web source · 58%
PM Press aboutOfficial self-description · 68%

Alternatives

Competitors

AGOOD60 Bookshare / Benetech nonprofit accessible-ebook library · same market AGOOD59 Creative Commons international nonprofit commons steward · same market AGOOD57 Internet Archive nonprofit digital library · same market AGOOD56 AK Press worker-owned independent book publisher and distributor · same market AGOOD56 Ghost Foundation nonprofit open-source publishing platform · same market AGOOD55 Little Free Library nonprofit neighborhood book-sharing network · same market AGOOD54 Consumer Reports independent nonprofit member organization · same market AGOOD53 Wikimedia Foundation nonprofit · same market

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Audit Log

Recent public changes for this company or group. The full audit log is part of the Transparency record.

May 8, 2026 at 12:00 AM UTC ai-scaffolding positive-publisher-expansion

Added during search for A/B-worthy true book publishers and self-publishing alternatives.

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