The Power of the Elites

A 1991 book predicted that the U.S. would descend into civil war over the next three decades. It said this could only happen if elites tightened up the path to mobility, dampened wage growth and claimed a greater share of economic gains for themselves. We're not talking about anyone who makes $400,000 a year or anything like that; we're referring to those who use their vast amounts of money to sway politicians and laws in their favor.