Charles Hugh Smith – Historian Michael Grant identified profound political disunity in the ruling elite as a key cause of the dissolution of the Roman Empire. Grant described this dynamic in his excellent account The Fall of the Roman Empire.
The chapter titles of the book illuminate the complex causes of profound political disunity in the ruling elite:
The Gulfs Between the Classes: a.k.a. soaring income/wealth inequality: check.
Distribution of wealth in the US since 1917 [view chart]
The Credibility Gap: The Mainstream Media lauds itself and a self-serving, failing elite: check.
The Partnerships That Failed: the SillyCon Valley tech titans were supposed to “save” the neoliberal elite by managing social media the way the MSM managed broadcast propaganda/”news”: check.
The Groups That Opted Out: nobody “important” noticed those who opted out of the neoliberal Kool-Aid: check.
The Undermining of Effort: if I don’t get my way, I’ll block yours. There is no common ground left.