Aristocracy

The most obvious criticism of the New Overclass is that their political machine is undemocratic. Using subversive techniques once aimed at communists, and with all the money they ever need to succeed, the Overclass undemocratically controls our government, our media, and even a growing part of academia. These institutions in turn allow the Overclass to control the supposedly "free" market. It doesn't win all the time, of course — witness Bill Clinton's impeachment trial — but it does score an endless string of other victories elsewhere, all to the detriment of workers, consumers, women, minorities and the poor. We need to fight it with everything we've got.

Loosely defined, Feudalism is rule by the very wealthy. It is the same as oligopoly. Credit goes to Reagan and Bush tax cuts, we have it.

Six Banks Control 60% of GNP 

(Note the next two paragraphs shamelessly taken from notes to 100 Ways America is Screwing Up the World: John Tirman.

list of the wealthy from Forbes.  On executive pay, see the remarkable PBS show, “Now,” which did this segment on the issue.

On charitable giving worldwide, check out this eye-opening article from Inter-Press Service, noting that the heathens are more generous than the faithful. Here is an interesting web site from Boston College on wealth and philanthropy. “The people that give the most actually make the least. Households earning under $10,000 a year -- far below the poverty line -- gave 5.2% of their income to charity. That's a larger percentage of their money than any other income group,” says JustGive.org.

Oligarchy USA 

Aristocracy

Welfare State for the Rich

Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy

Video/Film

The American Ruling Class (Watch it free on-line).

Bibliography

13 Bankers: Simon Johnson and James Kwak

American Dynasty: Aristocracy, Fortune and the Politics of Deceit in the House of Bush: Kevin Phillips

What Every American Should Know About Who's Really Running the World: Melisa Rossi

The Power Elite by C. Wright Mills (Oxford University Press, 2000 edition)

Who Rules America? Power and Politics by G. William Domhoff

The Affluent Society by John Kenneth Galbraith (Mariner, 1998 edition);

The Theory of the Leisure Class by Thorstein Veblen

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