Ideology, Politics and the Concentration of Capital

John ROEMER

Article Details

Ideology, Politics and the Concentration of Capital

Authors:

John ROEMER

Publisher:

Yildiz Technical University

Main Topics:

Sociology and anthropology

Journal:

Yildiz Social Science Review 2015 Vol.1 Issue 1, pp.37-44

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

5/2015

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2000701377

Frequency:

Bi-Annual

eISSN:

2687-6256

pISSN:

2149-4363

Abstract:

 


The concentration of wealth in the United States has reached its highest level ever, equal to what it was on the eve of World War I. The wealthy maintain their wealth - sheltering it from confiscation via taxation - mainly through ideological means. Influencing politics directly through campaign financing and lobbying are important, but probably less important than the creation of pro-capitalist ideology among voters, which occurs through myriad means. The polarization in the US Congress has followed closely, over the past 200 years, the polarization of wealth. As the top 1% become ever wealthier, they expend more resources attempting to prevent Congress from confiscating their wealth, which probably explains the ever-rightward movement of the US Republican Party. 

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The concentration of wealth in the United States has reached its highest level ever, equal to what it was on the eve of World War I.   The wealthy maintain their wealth - sheltering it from confiscation via taxation - mainly through ideological means.  Influencing politics directly through campaign financing and lobbying are important, but probably less important than the creation of pro-capitalist ideology among voters, which occurs through myriad means. The polarization in the US Congress has followed closely, over the past 200 years, the polarization of wealth.   As the top 1% become ever wealthier, they expend more resources attempting to prevent Congress from confiscating their wealth, which probably explains the ever-rightward movement of the US Republican Party.

Article Details

Ideology, Politics and the Concentration of Capital

Authors: John ROEMER

Publisher: Yildiz Technical University

Main Topics: Sociology and anthropology

Journal: Yildiz Social Science Review 2015 Vol.1 Issue 1, pp.37-44

Document Type: Article

Publication Date: 5/2015

Document Language: English

Document ID (Org No.): 2000701377

Frequency: Bi-Annual

eISSN: 2687-6256

pISSN: 2149-4363

Issues

Authors:

John ROEMER

Publisher:

Yildiz Technical University

Main Topics:

Sociology and anthropology

Journal:

Yildiz Social Science Review 2015 Vol.1 Issue 1, pp.37-44

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

5/2015

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2000701377

Frequency:

Bi-Annual

eISSN:

2687-6256

pISSN:

2149-4363