Are the poor being oppressed?

We've all heard about the 1%. We've seen the figures how they earn more than the bottom 50% of the nation. Graphs show how income disparity is greater than any time since the "robber barons" of the 1920s. If you are social liberal you've also heard how tough it is to be poor in America and the dwindling middle class. With internationalization wealth opportunities for the lower class are evaporating.

But are the poor oppressed?

Marx based all of his social conflict theory on the idea that the rich get richer at the expense of the poor, leading to inevitable class warfare. Is that happening ... if not, why not?

Is today's "income inequality" something different? Poverty is relative; is there a level of poverty that is completely livable but only "poverty" by comparison? Are the poor not rebelling because we're at a higher level of poverty? On the other end of the scale, is there a level of wealth where "more" simply becomes digits on a spreadsheet with no real added power or physical benefit to it? Is having five private jets any better than having one? Does having 3 billion in stock after you've already bought everything you could want really do anything?

Intelligent discussions meets every 2nd and 4th Wednesday in the Community Room at Earth Fare, on Pelham Rd at I-85.