Country of Lords
One of the reasons for Donald Trump's war on Iran is that he does not believe in equality among human beings. For him, equality is an unrealistic concept and an obstacle to success — whether among individuals within America, or between America and the rest of the world. In his view, the world is a class pyramid, and America must sit at the top of this pyramid and exercise its power without being bound by illusions of "international equality." During his first term, he described some countries, especially African ones, with insulting racist epithets. His vice president, JD Vance, adopts the theory that humans were not created equal. These repugnant orientations are merely a reflection of intellectual and political currents currently widespread in America — currents rooted in the belief that most Americans take and do not give, that they depend on others and are not productive or creative.
Weeks ago, a book by American historian Kim Phillips-Fein appeared with a long title: "Country of Lords: Neo-Aristocrats, Social Darwinists, Tech Utopians, and the Long Fight Against Equality in America." The author says that the idea of rejecting equality among human beings has always found supporters throughout American history. Although the Constitution enshrined equality, aristocrats such as John Adams, America's second president, believed that equality is a myth and that democracy would lead to chaos. There were also proponents of Charles Darwin's theory (survival of the fittest). The businessmen and industrialists who built America, most notably Henry Ford, the automobile magnate, believed that humans are not equal and that any democratic vision seeking to make them so was an attempt to obstruct progress.
Joining these are the tech moguls of Silicon Valley and the owners of major corporations such as Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg and others. These individuals believe that the rich work harder and that the poor make bad decisions. They also believe that certain racial groups (whites) are born with higher levels of intelligence compared to others. This may seem harsh to some, but these are the views of the technology elite, some of whom see compassion for the poor, the sick, and those in need as weakness. Musk said: "The fundamental weakness of Western civilization is empathy."
With the decline in economic conditions and the inability of the ordinary American citizen to afford the cost of living, these ideas find fertile ground, especially since those who repeat or apply them are officials or a wealthy elite who control the lifeblood of the American economy.
The paradox is that some members of the working class and the poor believe in these ideas, perhaps out of despair over never changing their circumstances, or out of a belief that they can join the wealthy class. This gives them a feeling of distinction and superiority over members of the class they came from, or over those they consider to be of a lower rank. The paradox is also that when America was founded 250 years ago, the principle upon which it was built was that there would be no kings, no lords and no class privileges. Now, Trump behaves like a king, to the extent that millions demonstrated against him with the slogan: "No kings in America." The tech moguls, who aspire to colonize space and do not pay taxes, live their lives like the kings of the Middle Ages.
The current American onslaught on the world, whether in the form of the war on Iran, imposing trade tariffs on all countries, kidnapping the president of Venezuela or insisting on seizing Greenland, is nothing but a symptom of the belief held by the ruling and wealthy class that America is a country of lords and the world is nothing but its vassal.
Weeks ago, a book by American historian Kim Phillips-Fein appeared with a long title: "Country of Lords: Neo-Aristocrats, Social Darwinists, Tech Utopians, and the Long Fight Against Equality in America." The author says that the idea of rejecting equality among human beings has always found supporters throughout American history. Although the Constitution enshrined equality, aristocrats such as John Adams, America's second president, believed that equality is a myth and that democracy would lead to chaos. There were also proponents of Charles Darwin's theory (survival of the fittest). The businessmen and industrialists who built America, most notably Henry Ford, the automobile magnate, believed that humans are not equal and that any democratic vision seeking to make them so was an attempt to obstruct progress.
Joining these are the tech moguls of Silicon Valley and the owners of major corporations such as Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg and others. These individuals believe that the rich work harder and that the poor make bad decisions. They also believe that certain racial groups (whites) are born with higher levels of intelligence compared to others. This may seem harsh to some, but these are the views of the technology elite, some of whom see compassion for the poor, the sick, and those in need as weakness. Musk said: "The fundamental weakness of Western civilization is empathy."
With the decline in economic conditions and the inability of the ordinary American citizen to afford the cost of living, these ideas find fertile ground, especially since those who repeat or apply them are officials or a wealthy elite who control the lifeblood of the American economy.
The paradox is that some members of the working class and the poor believe in these ideas, perhaps out of despair over never changing their circumstances, or out of a belief that they can join the wealthy class. This gives them a feeling of distinction and superiority over members of the class they came from, or over those they consider to be of a lower rank. The paradox is also that when America was founded 250 years ago, the principle upon which it was built was that there would be no kings, no lords and no class privileges. Now, Trump behaves like a king, to the extent that millions demonstrated against him with the slogan: "No kings in America." The tech moguls, who aspire to colonize space and do not pay taxes, live their lives like the kings of the Middle Ages.
The current American onslaught on the world, whether in the form of the war on Iran, imposing trade tariffs on all countries, kidnapping the president of Venezuela or insisting on seizing Greenland, is nothing but a symptom of the belief held by the ruling and wealthy class that America is a country of lords and the world is nothing but its vassal.
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