General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Why Republicans Are Opposed to Supporting the Poor - An Open Secret [View all]MineralMan
(146,284 posts)Taken to its logical conclusion, the philosophy I outlined leads to actual slavery, as we had in parts of the United States not all that long ago. In that system, workers were not only exploited, they could be eliminated when they were no longer useful or if they rebelled against their lot.
Once that system was eliminated for moral reasons, a new method of ensuring workers would be available at minimal cost was needed. That is the system I described.
Technology, however, has changed the equation somewhat. It has allowed the oligarchs to create additional wealth with fewer people, but the old system leads to a surplus of people who are not needed by the system, thanks to technological advances. This creates a problem for the oligarchy. By withdrawing more and more support for the needs of the poor, the oligarchy appears to be working toward reducing that surplus.
It's not a quick solution, but they believe it will be an eventual solution. However, if it does not work effectively, warfare is a good way to reduce the population of the poor as well. If that becomes necessary, we'll know by the escalation of warfare that required large numbers of young healthy men from the poorer classes.
Please note that I'm being descriptive, and am in no way recommending this system.