It is impossible to overstate the importance of American educations centralization, intellectual homogenization and partisanship in the formation of the ruling class leadership. Many have noted the increasing stratification of American society and that, unlike in decades past, entry into its top levels now depends largely on graduation from elite universities
Nevertheless as the Democratic Party has grown its constituent parts into a massive complex of patronage, its near monopoly of education has endowed its leaders ever more firmly with the conviction that they are as entitled to deference and perquisites as they are to ruling. The host of its non-governmental but government-financed entities, such as Planned Parenthood and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, argue for government funding by stating, correctly, that they are pursuing the public interest as government itself defines it.
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Thus by the turn of the twenty first century America had a bona fide ruling class that transcends government and sees itself at once as distinct from the rest of society and as the only element thereof that may act on its behalf. It rules to use New York Times columnist David Brooks characterization of Barack Obama as a visitor from a morally superior civilization. The civilization of the ruling class does not concede that those who resist it have any moral or intellectual right, and only reluctantly any civil right, to do so. Resistance is illegitimate because it can come only from low motives. President Obamas statement that Republican legislators and hence the people who elect them dont care whether seniors have decent health care
children have enough to eat is typical.
Excellent article.
It’s not the eighties anymore, Angie.