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15: The New Gilded Age: Oligarchy Ascendant

Today, America stands closer to 1890 than 1950.

  • Three people — Bezos, Musk, and Buffett — own more wealth than the bottom 50% combined.
  • Corporations write the laws through lobbyists.
  • Healthcare, education, and housing are luxuries, not rights.
  • Billionaires like Elon Musk fund political campaigns while paying less in taxes than you.

What we see isn't failure.
It’s success — for the wealthy.
The system was redesigned to make sure they win, and we lose.

But history offers hope:

  • Workers rose up before.
  • Laws were changed before.
  • Power shifted before.

It can happen again — if we act together.

No kings. No lords. No masters.


Sources and Further Reading:

  • Wealth Inequality in America — Institute for Policy Studies
  • The Divide: American Injustice in the Age of the Wealth Gap by Matt Taibbi

Recommended Books:

  • Occupy the Economy: Challenging Capitalism by Richard Wolff and David Barsamian
  • Winners Take All by Anand Giridharadas

Action Steps:

  • Join labor, tenant, and activist movements like FiftyFiftyOne.
  • Educate, organize, and resist.

Follow the series at: http://nokingsinphilly.blogspot.com/

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