Predictably, the public space is filled with blather about Americans supposedly being fed up with progressivism, rejecting the arrogance of liberal elites, etc. In fact, there is no sign that Americans are angrier than before. The same tension between working people and liberal elites existed four years ago. It existed in the Bush years and in the Obama years.
It is much more interesting to look at the real logic of power.
Elections are always called with a single goal in mind. To keep the existing structure in power and to confirm its position. No one calls an election to risk losing power. If they were not sure of winning, they would not call them (or change the rules). And if there is any power capable of forcing him to do so, then he is not the ruler. Then the real ruler is the coercive power. And of course it will never subject itself to the electoral test.
That means two things.
- The alliance of bank and corporate managers, state bureaucracy and professional intellectuals that has held power for at least the last 20 years has been weakened.
- A counter-elite has formed, a different power alliance that is capable of challenging the existing elite.
The question logically arises as to who is the new power alliance. A couple of headlines talk about a working class takeover, but it is more accurate to talk about an alliance of the working class and the tycoons focused on real production (Musk, Thiel and others). With the caveat that other groups, such as young engineers, technicians and craftsmen, some very specific groups of educated people, etc., are of course part of this broad alliance.
And now it seems that those owners who actually run their production companies are once again coming to power. However, we cannot talk about a revolt of the owners. It is rather that some members of the existing ruling class have calculated that it is more profitable to oppose their existing colleagues.
Almost all major changes in history have been like this – conflict within the ruling class. Popular revolutions belong in Hollywood movies, not in reality. But it makes a big difference whether the dictators are backed by the popular masses (and therefore have to try to make life pretty good for the people) or whether they are backed by a transnational financial oligarchy.
And that is what is changing in the US. That is what is causing such consternation. Ironically not with the big financial tycoons, but with the poor pawns in the lower management, media and universities.