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I recently ran across this concept, called the Pyramid of Capitalism. It was designed in 1911 and used to advertise for "Industrial Worker" the newspaper of the IWW. It was published by International Publishing right here in Cleveland Ohio.
At the top of the pyramid is capitalism itself, and the "almighty dollar".
Second, we have the elite classes (kings, prime ministers, presidents, corporations), who "Rule You".
Just below them are the clergy and religious, who "Fool You" into believing things.
Next is the military, who will "Shoot You" to make sure compliance is absolute.
Second from the bottom, we find the middle and upper classes who will "eat for you".
Finally, supporting everyone above them are the workers and farmers who "work for all" and "feed all".
Let's examine a few aspects of the design.
First, the design was created by a union, the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW). It would be in their best interests to portray their potential membership (the workers/farmers) as beaten down and in need of help. If the workers are treated right, what's the point of joining a union? You will also note that the labor union bosses are not included anywhere, because they have power and money (given to them by those they "represent") which puts them above their workers, the very people the workers/farmers are supposed to be fighting against.
Second, the creators of the art completely ignore the fact that the workers and farmers are, in a capitalist system, completely capable of moving off the lower level of the pyramid. Anyone can move up with effort and patience. To better one's self is part of the human condition.
Benjamin Franklin, Jon Huntsman, Chris Gardner, Andrew Carnegie, Dennis Kucinich and thousands of others started poor and built themselves up to positions of wealth and/or power. Likewise, it is also possible (probably easier) to fall from power and become poor when one has spent all their life in some higher class.
Third, where are the minorities? Those all look like white people. That's because they are.
In 1897-98, a coal miner's strike occurred in Pana, Illinois and was not resolved until, among other things, blacks were not allowed to work in the mine. The governor of Illinois gave orders to the state militia to "shoot to pieces with a gatling gun any train bringing in blacks". Chinese immigrants were used as scapegoats. One of the first union labels placed on a union-produced good was a cigar band that read 'Made by White Men'.
Why the prejudice? The unions feared that minorities would be willing to work for lower wage and take all the jobs.
Now, allow me to put forth a theory. If this is a pyramid of capitalism, would a pyramid of communism/socialism be the same thing, just upside down? Putting the workers on top? Let see what would happen if this pyramid was, indeed flipped over?
Now, the rich are supporting the workers, but when the few are required to support the many, the system stands for about as long as one can balance a pyramid on its point. Eventually, it will crumble and fail. The rich will find ways to get around the taxes (case-in-point, the old story about Warren Buffett paying a lower tax rate than his secretary). The middle class will wonder why they are penalized for doing things right and those that do the wrong thing are rewarded. The lower class will demand more stuff, believing they have a "right" to it (probably because they were told as such), until there's no way it can be provided to them by the government.
I would propose a different design for the "Pyramid of Capitalism".
You see, we are all created equal. We should all try to do what we can with what we have within us.
Some of us better ourselves, adding rungs to the ladder and achieve new heights.
Some fall off and it is up to them to climb again.
Some of us are willing to help our neighbors achieve and/or recover.
Some, unfortunately, choose to stay close to the ground and never realize their own potential.
Unfortunately, there are those in our world who believe it is necessary to take an ax to the ladders of those who have been successful. Or, they use some artificial means to raise up those that have not worked for success, and when the cord gets cut, the unsuccessful come to a crashing end.
