A woman places a MAGA hat on a man's head while listening to Donald Trump Jr. speak during the AmericaFest 2024 conference sponsored by conservative group Turning Point in Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. December 19, 2024. REUTERS/Cheney Orr
This week may a good one in which to take a look at the larger system and understand how it’s really organized — and for whom.
Start with the 10 biggest myths about our economy. These myths limit our thinking. They make it almost impossible to conceive of a different system — which is exactly the point. As long as we cling to these 10 myths, we see the fundamental choice as government or market, capitalism or socialism (or communism).
We don’t see how soaring inequality is perverting our system. We don’t see how it has contributed to corruption, bribery, and … Trump.
In reality, the choice is between a system that works for the many or one that works for the few — a choice between democracy and oligarchy.
Please take some time this week between Christmas-Hanukkah and the New Year, and examine the big picture.
Robert Reich is a professor of public policy at Berkeley and former secretary of labor. His writings can be found at https://robertreich.substack.com/.