228. The heist of the century

A recently published Rand Corporation study reveals an ongoing significant redistribution of wealth, from 90% of the population to the top 10%. This is not new and, for me, not a surprise. I’ve written about inequality before. What is new about the Rand study is that it quantifies the redistribution, at least for the US. If the share of wealth and income in US society had remained unchanged since the three decades following World War II, the 90% would be $47 trillion per year richer. The figure is staggering, less than 10% of the population would know how to write it in extended form. The average American would be $42,000 per year better of. How can the wealthy and powerful get away with this in a democracy, where people vote on policies? Simple. We know we have an enemy, but we don’t know who it is. For white men, Latinos and blacks. And for them, white men. For Brits, Europeans and, for many Europeans, African and Asian refugees. Meanwhile, the true enemy hides in plain sight 

Length: 993 characters