Reddit reviews The Revolt of the Elites and the Betrayal of Democracy
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Soooo... Lasch?
The world is in the middle of a revolution. This was the thesis of a very interesting book I read a while back that was written in 1996.
I think the particulars of the author's argument are dated, and I'm not nearly as pessimistic about the results of the trends he talks about as he is; I'm quite optimistic, actually. But, what we are witnessing is the breakdown of the nation-state.
The influence of a-national actors will be what characterizes the 21st Century. Every last one of them will be considered a threat by the powers that be.
The Revolt of the Elites and the Betrayal of Democracy by Christopher Lasch
I've had the opportunity to teach this book a few times in what passes for the Ivy League in Canada. It always makes or good discussion and soul-searching on the part of the students.
The situation in Canada is a little different, where the young of the elite often try not to look at themselves as being part of the elite (it's a naive sentiment that comes from good intentions, I think). The bubble gets burst when you ask them directly: "Would you marry a housepainter or a girl who works a cash?" It always amazed me how this question and the discussion that followed would have the effect of waking them from a slumber. They would literally leave the class wide-eyed and quiet.
What's worse is that in this book, Lasch talks about some features of "elite life" that Deresiewicz talks about and identifies them as the foundation for a "revolt of the elites" against the rest of society. It is hard not to see the present problems in maintaining democratic institutions and basic respect for law on the part of government and business in the Western world as direct effects of the "revolt of the elites", especially when Lasch predicted the problems in detail.