For centuries, the ways in which many societies governed themselves were indistinguishable from mafia-type governance structures. Along came democracy, the rule of law and meritocracy. But how much has really changed? Have we just changed one set of feudal barons for another, albeit with a slightly thicker veneer of civilisation? As philosopher Michael Sandel says, meritocracy is a scam.

Prominent economist Jeffrey Sachs recently asserted that America is ruled by and for a small elite - and always has been, apart from an aberrant period from the mid 1930s to the mid 1960s. Surely that’s also true of the UK (with only a much shorter ‘golden period’) and many other countries? Is Sachs right? If so, what does that suggest for what happens next?

‘Winner takes all’ may be how the world has always been organised. But the sustainability of that model depends critically on the winners leaving enough on the table to keep the masses quiet. Are today’s elites making the classic mistake?

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