Umair, I’m a fan — also a long time Canadian resident in the US who also spends a chunk of each year in France. So I hear these kinds of commnets frequently that you mention. And by no means a fan of the current govts. in the US and UK. In your essay, much of what you say rings true…and yet one important element does not seem correct to me. Your potrayal of the US getting poorer does not align well with the increased jobs report and a long and surprisingly bouyant economy. In this midst of that, yes, many people are struggling. But per capita GDP continues to rise; it hit $62,641 in 2018, according to World Bank figures. Indeed, US consumer spending is seen as a main driver of global growth — Americans buy a significant amount of overseas goods. So, economically, its just not true that we are getting poorer — though some at the bottom definitely are. Perhaps people are more indebted…but this is not at all the same thing, and certainly consumer indebtedness had no role in the demise of the USSR.

It might be true that we are getting poorer socially, with fewer health and retirment protections and less civil behaviors. But the impacts of these things on people are harder to measure in a meaningful, statistical way. This leaves a chunk of your essay in the catagory of conjecture rather than anaysis.

So…more work to do. I appreciate your passionate pursuit of what makes our society tick…and what makes our society sick. Keep up the good work!