In a struggle between wealth
and ethics, practically speaking the former tends overwhelmingly to win hands
down, even if the form of government is at least nominally a representative
democracy, but in fact an oligarchy or plutocracy. The influence of the moneyed
interest both in the E.U. and U.S. is likely much stronger than most of the
respective citizenries know. When the poorest of the poor are to be made worse
off financially by cuts in certain government programs while defense contractor
companies stand to get more, which tends to mean higher bonuses for executives
(and campaign contributions for elected representatives), the skew toward the
gilded and away from the most vulnerable economically can be viewed as an x-ray
of sorts indicative of rule by wealth rather than by the People. U.S. President
Trump’s fiscal budget enacted in 2025 is a case in point by which the questionable
morality of the plutocracy or oligopoly form of government can be gleaned.
The full essay is at "Wealth and Ethics in American Fiscal Policy."
