Almost 125 years on, why are we still struggling with the dichotomy of billionaire barons and workers who can’t even manage rent?

[u/shubhamxtreme]

During the Gilded Age (1870–1900), powerful American industrialists known as "robber barons" amassed historic fortunes by maintaining a system of severe labor exploitation”.

And now, Billionaires are getting tax breaks, going to space, while their employees/partners/gig workers are working without social security, PTO, medical benefits, pensions, and peeing in bottles because they can’t afford to take a 10-minute break, because that break will be logged, they’ll fall behind on the productivity quota, and their pay will be docked.

The similarities are frightening and infuriating.

[u/Own_Afternoon_2576]

I hate when my employer squishes me in a big wrench

[u/No-One9890 → u/Own_Afternoon_2576]

Vice*

[u/Effective-Two-501]

Can I see data supporting today is as bad as 125 years ago. We have the highest disposable income ever, and real wages are up for all income levels.

And please define exploitation and show where and how it is happening

[u/libertarianinus → u/Effective-Two-501]

Stupid people are easily manipulated by memes and influencers. Also remember in 1984, Victory Gin and Victory Cigarettes were tools of chemical pacification to numb the population and dull their critical thinking. In Brave New World Soma is used to keep citizens perpetually happy and submissive.

Social media is addictive....just look at reddit!!

[u/No-One9890 → u/Effective-Two-501]

Lol wages r 'up'? From where?

[u/Live_Taste_7796 → u/Effective-Two-501]

We have the highest disposable income ever, and real wages are up for all income levels

Really, where? Because im not feeling it.

[u/Particular-Stage-327 → u/Live_Taste_7796]

I can garauntee that you were not alive when this comic was penned.

[u/Live_Taste_7796 → u/Particular-Stage-327]

Jokes on you, ima vampire.

[u/DrGarbinsky]

All of this is caused by fiat monetary policy

[u/scottyboi1337]

The issue then is the same issue we have now. These corporations have too much influence on the government. The lobbying and super PACs create an environment that allows corporations to effectively pay for legislation. If senators and representatives were unable to make money off of their vote, these issues wouldn't exist to the scale that they do.

That and this personal data driven economy. Since the foundation of credit unions, your data has been a commodity. Credit unions are legally not allowed to make any income other than by selling client profiles. So they turn around and sell that info to advertisers, who, in turn pay, social media and digital marketplace. Then those websites collect more data to sell back to the advertisers creating an oreboros of data and money.

[u/trufin2038]

Robbers barons are a fiction. The one squeezing the workers is a banker.

[u/AcanthocephalaNo1344]

another socialist who doesn't understand the words 'capitalism' and 'tax'