Has the corporate media gotten it wrong? For years, they have presented divisiveness in American culture as a struggle of left vs right, liberal vs conservative. The recent shooting of Brian Thompson, CEO of United Healthcare, has shown another possibility, the struggle between the 1% and the 99%, or upper vs lower classes. Another way of putting it is the oligarchs against the rest of us. This division is a class struggle.
It is the oligarchs that are trying to destroy the Constitution; it is the oligarchs that are trying to destroy democracy; It is the oligarchs that want to destroy the Department of Education because they realize that an educated population is the best defense of democracy; it is the oligarchs that want to destroy Social Security and Medicare. I could continue with more examples, but you get the idea.
Who are these oligarchs? We know a few names: Peter Teal, Kevin Roberts. Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, Kochs, and many others. They are the wealthy of the wealthiest. They control industries and corporations. They control governments. They control the media. In short, they control us.
Through out world history, oligarchs have always existed. Whether it was the kings and popes of’ the Middle Ages or the oligarchs that run Russia, oligarchy has always been around. It existed in ancient Greece where even Plato warned in his book, The Republic, of the four stages of government. Timocracy, based on merit and support, Democracy, based on equality and liberty, Oligarchy, or a Plutocracy, based on wealth, and Tyranny based on extremism and authoritarianism.
What is the answer to oligarchy? Although JFK said in a famous quotation, “Those that make evolution impossible, make revolution inevitable,” I believe that revolution is not the answer. The problem with revolution is that the revolters, sooner or later form another oligarchy or a tyrannical government. Look at the former Soviet Union.
In my view, one possible solution is long term, education. Students should not graduate from school without a foundation in civics, history, and/or government. Courses in these topics should be mandatory. Throughout all these courses critical thinking should be practiced.
Why is the new oligarchy so anxious to destroy the Department of Education? Could it be that they recognize the dangers that an educated person could be to them.
Education and good public schools are essential to preserving democracy. After all, it was John Adams who said, I must study politics and war, that our sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy … in order to give their children a right to study painting, poetry, music."
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