Usually, revolutions are thought to come from the lower levels of society, where poor oppressed people rise up and overthrow the established order.  However, there have been what could be termed "upper-class revolutions," too.  One that comes to mind was the Highland Clearances in Scotland, in which longtime small-scale tenant farmers were forcibly removed by large landowners.  Their hovels were destroyed, and sheep replaced people, causing a forced emigration of many Scotsmen.  This transferred wealth from the poorer members of society to the wealthier.

It appears this pattern has been underway as well in the United States through two primary mechanisms.  Let's look at the COVID response first.  The way the government responded to COVID was by massive shutdowns and very low interest rates.  The shutdowns destroyed many small businesses and let large businesses like Amazon gain market share.  Also, below-market interest rates raised the value of assets such as stocks, which exacerbated wealth disparity by primarily benefiting the wealthier people.  It can be seen as a Main Street versus Wall Street phenomenon.

Longer-term, the environmental movement has done the same thing by raising costs of housing, energy, and other necessities, which hits the working class, middle class, and poor much more than anyone else.  This can be seen most clearly in California, where zoning restrictions keep housing very expensive for those trying to buy housing while established people and wealthy enclaves see large capital gains due to the scarcity of housing.  California has apparently become the most economically unequal state in the country, partly as a result of this.  The same mechanism is apparent in other liberal states. 

Additionally, the Davos crowd have made clear their disdain of the for average people by stating that most people should eat insects and lentils, not beef or other meat — for the benefit of the "climate," of course.  Depopulating the Great Plains of cattle ranches is probably an additional feature in their view.

The question is, when do people realize this is happening, and are we seeing the beginning of a pushback by working-class and middle-class people?

Image: PublicDomainVectors.org.