Author Joel Kotkin provides incisive analyses of the factors that are destroying the middle and working class in America and the Western world. We recommend looking into his work. Here at GOUSA we are seeking to reverse those trends by developing an agenda for broad-based opportunity and prosperity for all Americans.
Some of the most interesting ideas and commentary these days is coming from those who have “left the left”. Joel Kotkin is one of them. Kotkin considers himself an old-time social democrat. As such, he’s keenly aware of how the managerial elites have disempowered working- and middle-class Americans. Kotkin views America and the West as entering into a new feudalism in which society is dominated entirely by a self-perpetuating elite.
Kotkin offers a biting critique of elitism and the tech oligarchy that controls business, media and government in America today. He also exposes the lunacy of the Democratic party’s obsession with climate change, race, and gender politics. These policies, according to Kotkin, are perpetuated by the elites and oligarchs to distract the public from issues of class and inequality of opportunity.
Below is Kotkin’s appearance with Konstantin Kisin and Francis Foster on Triggernometry.
Another great interview is Kotkin’s with the London Telegraph.
We agree with much of what Kotkin has to say. A key point in the GOUSA economic opportunity agenda is to break up the finance and tech oligopolies that have too much power in America today. We believe in competitive processes and free market capitalism. But these massive companies have come about by employing anti-competitive practices (tech) and government protection (especially finance). Antitrust is important to restore competition where there is none. Moreover, Kotkin argues that these companies are stifling debate and discussion—literally cancelling entire classes of people from their platforms—and creating an angrier society.
We also reject socialist economic planning. Government economic planning favor the interests of the elites. This includes enriching the elites financially. But government economic planning also favors elite ideologies and values over that of the middle and working classes. Kotkin discusses the left’s climate agenda and how it is being forced on middle and working classes throughout the world without discussion or consideration of dissent.
We hope you have a chance to delve into Kotkin’s work.
And if you haven’t yet, consider spending some time looking into the GOUSA agenda in greater depth, checking out our videos, joining in one of our events, or talking with someone on our team.
We’d love to hear from you.