“The impoverishment of the working classes combined with an “overproduction of elites” accumulating wealth and energy in the end results in collapse” | EUROtoday

QWhat is killing democracies? The gradual poison of mistrust and the repeated stabs on the counter-powers. The weakening of the requirements by which societies are held collectively: respect for others and their freedom of thought, the will to dwell collectively, the legitimacy of those that govern. The financial crises, once more, which siphon off the center lessons, disrupt public providers and improve resentment. Without forgetting the sowers of hatred, at all times looking out, stirring up evil passions – beginning with xenophobia. And then cash, when it’s excessively monopolized by a small quantity to the detriment of the collective.

In his final essay, The chaos that comes (Le Cherche Midi, 448 pages, 23 euros), the anthropologist Peter Turchin, with historic examples to assist it, analyzes what triggers the political disintegration of States: every time, the impoverishment of the working lessons mixed with “overproduction elites” accumulating wealth and energy finally results in collapse, revolution or civil battle, he explains.

A phenomenon noticed recurrently within the United States, but in addition, to a big extent, in Europe. In an interview on November 2, with the weekly TeleramaTurchin deplores that the American Democratic Party is failing to develop into the celebration of the working class once more – which the results of the November 5 presidential election confirmed – as a result of, for that, “It would require its backers and leaders to make a significant personal financial sacrifice, raising their own taxes and giving more power to workers”. What, past the speeches, they’re hardly prepared for.

“Money makes you neurotic. When they have ideas to change the world, the wealthy can pay to implement them and buy influence – something those without money cannot do. Because of this, they think their ideas are superior to those of others. » These words are not those of a left-wing economist, but… of an ultra-rich woman, speaking with knowledge of the facts. Namely, the Austro-German Marlene Engelhorn, who became a multimillionaire at the age of 30, in 2022. She is one of the heirs of the founder of the German chemical group BASF, Friedrich Engelhorn.

“Excess wealth is antisocial”

Marlene Engelhorn is among the handful of millionaires who, in Europe or the United States, are campaigning with their States to be taxed extra extensively. Because they’re conscious that the ultra-rich are at all times richer as a result of they pay proportionally much less taxes than the center lessons. Because they know that this inequality is among the poisons that brings down democracies.

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