Welcome to the New Gilded Age

Why we should be looking up, not left and right

The Gilded Age of the late 19th century was a time of rapid industrialization, explosive economic growth—and rampant inequality. A thin layer of prosperity gilded the deep cracks of societal disparity, as the ultra-wealthy controlled politics and the working class toiled for stagnant wages. Sound familiar? Today, many economists and political analysts argue we’re living in a new Gilded Age, where wealth disparity has once again reached staggering heights.

In 2023, the top 1% controlled more wealth than the bottom 90% combined, while wages for the average worker have failed to keep pace with inflation and the rising cost of housing, healthcare, and education. Despite record corporate profits, workers struggle to afford basic necessities. The chasm between the billionaire class and the rest of us has widened to unprecedented levels, creating an unsustainable economic imbalance.

But rather than addressing this systemic inequality, the political right has perfected the art of distraction. Immigrants, LGBTQ+ people, and other marginalized groups are cast as scapegoats to stoke cultural wars, keeping us divided and distracted from the root of our economic struggles. Meanwhile, the wealthiest Americans and corporations quietly funnel donations to both parties, ensuring that policies overwhelmingly protect their interests.

The solution lies not in looking left or right, but upward. If we want a government that works for the many, not the few, we must focus on the systems that perpetuate this disparity. A strong democracy is essential, and so is solidarity among the working and middle classes. Change will come only when we recognize that our true adversaries aren’t our neighbors or the boogeymen invented to divide us, but the unchecked power of the 1%. Let’s shift our gaze and demand accountability where it matters most.