Engineered Collapse of the Middle Class
The writing is on the wall and the elites are conducting a last-ditch operation to take it all.
Historically, the expansion of the middle class was supported by the balance of power between capital owners and labor. When labor was scarce – such as after the Black Death – the average citizen was able to negotiate better working conditions and pay.
More recently, cheap and abundant energy created an economic surplus that could support policies strengthening the middle class. However, as energy – and resources in general, including food – becomes more scarce, the middle class will become a passing phenomenon.
Why Care About the Middle Class?
A robust middle class reduces disparities between the rich and the poor, which helps prevent resentment, crime, and political unrest. In societies with extreme inequality, divisions between economic classes deepen, fueling instability and disenfranchisement. A broad middle class promotes inclusivity and shared prosperity, encouraging a sense of unity and national identity.
The middle class also helps maintain democratic institutions. When economic power is highly concentrated among a small elite, political influence follows, leading to policies that favor wealth preservation rather than broad-based economic opportunity. A strong middle class balances the political landscape, where policies are created with the broader population in mind rather than serving only the interests of the wealthy.
Without a thriving middle class, society becomes increasingly polarized, with a struggling lower class and an isolated elite. This leads to rising populism, greater social unrest, and an erosion of democratic institutions.
How Wealthy Elites Squeeze Out the Middle Class
For decades, the middle class was the backbone of economic stability. It represented upward mobility, financial security, and shared prosperity. But with the onset of trickle-down economics, this group has been squeezed from all sides – stagnant real wages, rising costs of basic needs, and financial policies that favor asset holders over workers.
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Article from LewRockwell
LewRockwell.com is a libertarian website that publishes articles, essays, and blog posts advocating for minimal government, free markets, and individual liberty. The site was founded by Lew Rockwell, an American libertarian political commentator, activist, and former congressional staffer. The website often features content that is critical of mainstream politics, state intervention, and foreign policy, among other topics. It is a platform frequently used to disseminate Austrian economics, a school of economic thought that is popular among some libertarians.
