A Splendid Essay on the Two Great Classes in Contemporary America
By Robert Higgs • Friday July 23, 2010 4:23 PM PDT • 60 Comments
Angelo M. Codevilla, professor emeritus of international relations at Boston University, has written an extraordinary essay for the July/August issue of The American Spectator. It’s called “America’s Ruling Class – And the Perils of Revolution,” but it deals much more extensively with the anatomy and functioning of the class system in the United States today than with the prospect of revolution.
Codevilla cuts immediately to the core: the United States today is divided into (a) a ruling class, which dominates the government at every level, the schools and universities, the mainstream media, Hollywood, and a great deal else, and (b) all of the rest of us, a heterogeneous agglomeration that Codevilla dubs the country class. The ruling class holds the lion’s share of the institutional power, but the country class encompasses perhaps two-thirds of the people.
Members of the two classes do not like one another. In particular, the ruling class views the rest of the population as composed of ignoramuses who are vicious, violent, racist, religious, irrational, unscientific, backward, generally ill-behaved, and incapable of living well without constant, detailed direction by our betters; and it views itself as perfectly qualified and entitled to pound us into better shape by the generous application of laws, taxes, subsidies, regulations, and unceasing declarations of its dedication to bringing the country—and indeed the entire world—out of its present darkness and into the light of the Brave New World it is busily engineering.
This class divide has little to do with rich versus poor or Democrat versus Republican. At its core, it has to do with the division between, on the one hand, those whose attitudes are attuned to the views endorsed by the ruling class (especially “political correctness”) and whose fortunes are linked directly or indirectly with government programs and, on the other hand, those whose outlooks and interests derive from and focus on private affairs, especially the traditional family, religion, and genuine private enterprise. Above all, as Codevilla makes plain, “for our ruling class, identity always trumps.” These people know they are superior in every way, and they are not shy about letting us know that they are. Arrogance might as well be their middle name.
The ruling class, not surprisingly, is also the statist party:
[O]ur ruling class’s standard approach to any and all matters, its solution to any and all problems, is to increase the power of the government – meaning of those who run it, meaning themselves, to profit those who pay with political support for privileged jobs, contracts, etc.
Despite the rulers’ chronic complaints about people’s exercising “discrimination” of one kind or another, they have no intention of treating everybody equally. Hence, “[l]aws and regulations nowadays are longer than ever because length is needed to specify how people will be treated unequally.” As the recent health-care and financial-reform statutes illustrate perfectly, however, much of the inequality is achieved not directly, but by the statutes’ delegation of authority to countless regulatory and administrative bodies, which will use their ample discretion to do the desired dirty work.
Codevilla’s description of the ruling class and its modus operandi is longer and more detailed than his account of the country class, which is probably inevitable in view of the latter’s extreme heterogeneity. And the force of his argument wanes a bit toward the end of the essay, when he muses about how a country party might turn the tide against the domination and contempt it presently suffers at the hands of its officious rulers. Nevertheless, I heartily recommend this magnificent essay, which is one of the most intelligent, forthright discussions of America’s current socio-political condition I have ever read. If we serfs are ever to escape the grip of our overbearing, self-appointed nobility, the first requirements will be to recognize correctly our current condition, to denounce openly its injustice and idiocy, and to deride every claim of legitimacy or entitlement our rulers have the temerity to make or presume.
Tags: Civil Society, Culture, Family, Fascism, Government subsidies, Law, Liberty, Personal Liberty, Politics, Power, Regulation, Religion, Taxation, The State, Welfare 
The ruling class buys support of much of the country class through its welfare and subsidy programs. For example, I really doubt that there is much support in the country class for ending Social Security, despite the fact that it is nothing but a government-enforced Ponzi scheme and surely will fail or bankrupt the nation.
Patrick Barron | Jul 25, 2010 | Reply
Yes, that is the American version of “bread and circuses”
Kent Lyon | Jul 25, 2010 | Reply
And lots of “useful idiots” among the country class — people who are not a part of the ruling class but who share its outlook and willingly disseminate its propaganda.
Bob | Jul 25, 2010 | Reply
Economic mobility ( http://to./brr ) != Social mobility ( http://to./68j )
Police Officer | Jul 25, 2010 | Reply
The ruling class goal seems to be destruction of America as we have known and loved it. The unrelieved propaganda that gave us “Shock & Awe” in Iraq was based on absoulte and obvious dishonesty. In Afghanistan, the president has promised thousands of additional troops for an insane “war” in this landlocked, stone age, nightmare of a place. Not to worry! He still plans to begin “draw-down in one year. Yet, it will take at least two years to insert the thousands of troops promised–and essential supporting facilities. And what about the trillions being looted by those “Too Big to Fail”?
RT Carpenter | Jul 25, 2010 | Reply
Rasmussen agrees, and quantifies it, though he uses the term ‘political class’:
“Polling released earlier this week showed that Americans overwhelmingly believe that more competition and less regulation is better for the economy than more regulation and less competition.
“Not surprisingly, America’s Political Class is far less enamored with the virtues of a free market. In fact, Political Class voters narrowly prefer a government managed economy over free markets by a 44% to 37% margin. However, among Mainstream voters, 90% prefer the free market.”
Jim Noble | Jul 25, 2010 | Reply
“The ruling class goal seems to be destruction of America as we have known and loved it.”
RT,
The ruling class has been at long it enough that it could be said, “America, I never knew you.”
Patrick | Jul 26, 2010 | Reply
I echo the comment on Social Security/Ponzi scheme among a myriad of other takes from me/give to you stuff of our system. Would add that the country class by and large is illiterate in economics, civics, American history, the Bible, etc., via the ruling class control of education. Control the money and the education of the masses, and you’ve got ‘em where you want ‘em.
John Hardy | Jul 26, 2010 | Reply
Who is superior, the Wagoner or the Horse? Neither can be convinced inferior, so the debate rages. Undo the binding and the question will be settled in an instant.
Dave | Jul 26, 2010 | Reply
Mills, in The Power Elite, saw it clearly, 60 years ago.
richard | Jul 26, 2010 | Reply
Kind of dumb to say that the ‘ruling class’ includes 1/3 of the American population. I guess it’s true that a lot of people benefit from ‘the system’ that include teachers, cops, local zoning officiaries, local bank officers and the like, but I don’t consider them the ‘elite’. According to the Economic Policy Institute, the richest one percent of U.S. households now owns 34.3 percent of the nation’s private wealth, more than the combined wealth of the bottom 90 percent. The top one percent also owns 36.9 percent of all corporate stock. If we were to split America into two classes, we could go by half in terms of capital ownership, or by income; the ruling elite would consist of one out of every 20 families or fewer.
Travis | Jul 26, 2010 | Reply
You are correct.
It was sociologist C. Wright Mills of Columbia University whose tome The Power Elite included such eye-opening snippets as the one below revealing a power elite network with both visible and hidden elements.
According to Mills, “The power elite is not altogether ‘surfaced’. Many higher events that would reveal the working of the power elite can be withheld from public knowledge under the guise of secrecy. With the wide secrecy covering their operations and decisions, the power elite can mask their intentions, operations and further consolidation.”
R. Wiesinger | Jul 26, 2010 | Reply
Thanks Mr. Higgs for a nice summation & interpretation of Professor Codevilla’s insightful essay. I waded into it’s deep waters and was well rewarded. I trust anyone reading here will go to that link & read the entire piece.
The sad fact, pointed out by Patrick above, and Bob, is that the silence & even willing acquiescence within the ‘country class’ is bought with their (our ?) own stolen wealth, via taxation.
As per Bob’s observation, due to mass media conditioning in collectivism, the individual conscience has been stifled.
Once upon a time, the individual’s conscience was considered sacred, today it is conformed by Political Correctness or placated by welfare state bribery.
Even in our churches, which otherwise claim to stand for Objective Truth (which to prior generations was a yardstick to judge society & the state by), one of two extremes holds sway: the Truth of Christ has become mired in the ditch of either meaningless symbolism, or emotional escapism.
This seems to hold true for both the Evangelical & Catholic communities.
This is a far cry from the Patriot pulpit which called American Christians to their duty from the early days of our Republic.
A pervasive sense of the Prerequisite of Self Government & Family Government, in order to sustain a free Republic, infused the Colonial Consciousness.
The churches informed the ‘civil ministers (magistrates)’, of their sacred duty before God & to the people, a system of dual Sovereignty & check and balances.
This was seen quite clearly in the practice of the Election Day Sermon, which was when the newly elected office holders were required to listen to several ministers preach to them about the requirements of God’s Law upon those who would lead their fellow men: to respect the limits of limited, delegated, authority.
The template of Deuteronomy Chapter 17, where the “King” was to be one of his brethren (NOT a foreigner – where the FF got the ‘natural born citizen’ requirement in our constitution), was to write a copy of the Law with his own hand, keep it with him at all times for reference, and that ‘his heart be not lifted up above his brethren’, and not to multiply horses & wives to himself – (i.e.: prohibited from building military oriented empire & entangling foreign alliances !!).
Today, with the loss of the Christian worldview & falling Biblical Literacy (and abysmal ignorance of History), how many Americans are aware of these crucial facts ?
We pray – our entire family – that the days ahead – as this wayward, lawless Empire breaks apart, that the real America, the one composed of solid Citizens (not perfect, nor all Christian, necessarily) of Goodwill, emerges from the rubble, and the foundations of Self-Government, under God, will once again bless this land.
Our favorite Pastor, Dr. Paul Jehle, has a short YouTube video on the lost History of which I wrote, on Colonial Self-Government, here.
To sum up, then, when ‘We the People’ reinvigorate & embody the Character virtues that are part & parcel of a Liberty loving people, the ‘country class’ will make the ‘ruling class’ irrelevant & pointless.
It’s our lack of Virtue & moral strength that makes the ‘ruling class’ powerful.
I thank God for fine sites like Independent.org, Lewrockwell.com, Chalcedon.org, GaryNorth.com that help champion these lost Truths....
For Liberty,
Samuel Adams, Jr.
Samuel Adams, Jr. | Jul 26, 2010 | Reply
I said this before, and my friends will sadly nod their heads and agree, that what our “leaders” lack are enough minerals in their diet. To whit... they aren’t eating enough lead!
David | Jul 26, 2010 | Reply
Although I think his idea of a single “country class” in opposition to the ruling class simplifies matters overmuch, I basically agree with Codevilla’s thesis.
But, for goodness sake, don’t name a political movement the “Country Party” (or a class the “country class”). It would be a matter of minutes before a scribe of the ruling class ridiculed it as the “Country Bumpkin Party”. Just a fast, another scribe the ruling class would ridicule it as the “Country Club Party” to make it appear as though it were an elite group plotting to overthrow the existing ruling class that operates altruistically in the public interest.
Since they are unencumbered by ordinary standards of honesty, Progressives have well-honed skills at crafting narratives. Codevilla’s country class is naturally constrained by such standards, and its opinion leaders must be even more careful with its language than their opponents in the ruling class.
Bob Broadfoot
CatoTheElder | Jul 26, 2010 | Reply
What you say is true although there are always the Libertarians and those who value their freedom enough to pass on any government hand outs; me for one. I think there are also Christians who would support the elimination of Social Security and other government control if they are true to their Christian beliefs. So there may be more support in the country class than you think, we hope. This is the core of the Tea Party movement.
Mary | Jul 26, 2010 | Reply
Bob, can’t we give those “useful idiots” or sheeple a category of their own? They certainly are ruling class wannabees with aspirations to somehow whine their way into the elite. It worked for Michael Moore.
Mary | Jul 26, 2010 | Reply
Yes, David, more lead in their diet might help. In fact, just the thought of it, might cause them to behave better.
Can I make a helpful suggestion along these lines ? Have you – or anyone reading this – taken training for Rifle Marksmanship ?
It was our Colonial Riflemen who soundly beat the British. And this was no accident: colonial riflemen had state of the art long-guns, with rifled barrels – they didn’t generally form into huge armies, but preferred small unit, or individual shooters.
There is a program you’ll want to know more about, the ‘Appleseed Shoot’ – sponsored by the RWVA – Revolutionary War Veteran Association – where we teach marksmanship & the ‘Real History’ of April 19, 1775 – the Battle of Lexington Green.
The goal is to train American men to once again become marksman who can hit a silhouette size target at 500 yards – the traditional ‘Rifleman’s Quarter Mile’ – repeatedly.
Why Riflemen ? Well as handy as pistols are, they’re mainly defensive in nature. No country has ever been successfully defended with pistols – it’s a funny thought –
If you doubt this, just consider that the Afghan’s we trained in the 1980′s drove out the vastly superiorly equipped Soviet army, using mil-surp Lee-Enfield .303 British / US supplied bolt action rifles !
It’s a great fun time – wives & children (active military too) shoot for free. They happen in most States or are within a reasonable drive of most of us. http://www.Appleseedinfo.org or http://www.RWVA.org – Come Join Us !
For Liberty,
Sam Adams, Jr.
Samuel Adams, Jr. | Jul 26, 2010 | Reply
Let’s not be too hard on Joe Public. The ruling class, like any ruling class, both exploits the weaknesses and follies of the ruled, and seeks to make them as dependent as possible on the apparatus of the State and its supporters. Whether it is the State’s welfare programs to coral the poor or the cheap deployment of fear of the Muslim hoards, there are plenty of ways that the ruling elite are able to induce the masses to voluntarily accede control and go against their own best interests. Further, the ruling class also has a near monopoly on institutional education and information dissemination; the institution of public schooling and its private sector imitators has a lock on nearly every single member of the body public from early childhood to adulthood. So it’s really a wonder anyone actually challenges, in any appreciable way, the ruling class – much less challenge them in a consistent, thoughtful way that doesn’t simply further reinforce the ruling class’s mechanisms.
Jonathan | Jul 26, 2010 | Reply
Now there is a man with a good plan.
Goldhoarder | Jul 26, 2010 | Reply
The entire foundation on which the ‘Ruling Class’ has built its facade, is the virtual ‘money’ system. With it, they bribe, corrupt, commandeer and impoverish as needs be.
The thing, however, is self-destructive because it is principal issued at interest. To account for the interest for service ... more principal must be issued at interest. Once started, it begins a reciprocal co-generation of principal and interest that ... goes on to infinity!
That ‘money Maw’ of exponentially expanding interest service has been demanding more and more of our economy’s productive capacity and must inevitably engulf our basic consumption.
The entire control mechanism can be brought down by converting all banknotes to their equitable physical expression, thereby killing the interest Maw that is the true instrument of our enslavement.
The ‘Fed’ openly admits on their website that their banknote has depreciated 97% since 1913. That’s three copper cents residual true purchasing value in physical form, or a 10 gram copper piece.
There is enough scrap and surplus copper in this country to mint those pieces and rid ourselves of that damnable Plantation Scrip!
The only question is ... who will DO IT!
Pat Fields | Jul 26, 2010 | Reply
This is struggle from the beginning of human civilization. One group considered to be Homo Sapiens and the other considers itself to be evolved into Homo Supremus. Once Homo Supremus has removed Homo Sapiens from the planet, then Homo Supremus fully expects to evolve into Homo Dei...what a shock that awaits them.
Ol' Grey Ghost | Jul 26, 2010 | Reply
Pat Barron Cite: “The ruling class buys support of much of the country class through its welfare and subsidy programs.”
Yep! And, without a ‘money machine’, that would be completely impossible, which is why I prefer to attack them in the purse, foremost!
Pat Fields | Jul 26, 2010 | Reply
If you believe there exists a ‘ruling class’ then such class exists. If you accord them no privilege, they cannot rule.
don | Jul 26, 2010 | Reply
There are countless reasons for America’s problems, but the mainstream news media are frighteningly at fault. Journalists’ life-long indoctrination in secular left-wing propaganda by the education establishment, by popular culture and by serious culture have created an egotistical class that flaunts and abuses its power and does not know what it does not know. Most alarming is the major media’s prevailing amorality; too many journalists think nothing of helping to hide government corruption when the government is sufficiently left-leaning. Moreover with establishment religion having lost respect due to its own misguided, weak and often ignorant leadership, we are left with an increasingly non-virtuous society, which is destructive to capitalism. To be maximally effective, capitalism must be combined with virtue. I cling to hope that the new media – the internet, conservative radio, fair and balanced television news stations, etc., – will wake up the masses and teach them to think.
Barbara | Jul 26, 2010 | Reply
Étienne de La Boétie’s Discourse on Voluntary Servitude covers the root of the problem nicely.
It’s also available free at mises.org or the itunes store.
Section three addresses the pyramidal structure of all who benefit under the state and therefore have little interest in seeing it deconstructed.
1/3 of the people may not make up the ruling class but that many or more depend on them in some way.
Foweler | Jul 27, 2010 | Reply
Thank you all for your insights. We all need to be worried about where the “political class” is taking us and need to start the fight against it!
John | Jul 27, 2010 | Reply
“If you believe there exists a ‘ruling class’ then such class exists. If you accord them no privilege, they cannot rule.”.... Pat Fields
Absolutely correct. Yet, and you know the old saying, that ‘He who has the guns/gold makes the rules’? A vast number of people in this country, at least for now, still have the capability of enforcing the rules if they weren’t so damn obedient to these self serving swine. Removing our “consent” and backing it with peaceful force, if need be, is the only language they understand. But, of course, they and their minions in the propaganda ministries, AKA mainstream media, will screech like howler monkeys at the unmitigated cheek of the peasants refusing to kowtow to their betters. We’d hear an unending litany of lies about how civil discourse had somehow “devolved” and was, SHOCK, manifesting itself as possibly “revolution”. Yep! When WE finally say enough is enough then they get incensed that we’ve figured it out. And notice how revolution is only valid in OTHER countries and not at home. Seems what was good for Jefferson, Washington and old Ben back in the day is not to be discussed. The gangrene of corruption runs so deep, is so pervasive, that to think this monster would willingly change course is laughably absurd. It won’t! Why? Because it has gotten away with it for so long it has, in its own eyes, become its own truth. I would also agree with Sam Adams that if you can take courses in firearm training, rifles and pistols, then do so while you still can. It is FEAR that keeps them in check and nothing else. Should they drop the charade and do what they really want to do then so much the better. That way we can do away with silly “analysis” of what these twisted lunatics intend to do and go about cleaning house.
David | Jul 28, 2010 | Reply
Sorry, Don. You made the quote... I mistyped.
David | Jul 28, 2010 | Reply
I’m 54 years old and have paid tens of thousands of dollars into Social Security since I got my first job at 16. I’ve never collected a dime in return. Before people like you start prattling on about “dismantling the ponzi scheme,” you’d best make some provisions for paying off the people who have kept it afloat for all these years, otherwise it’ll be time to get out the tar, feathers, torches and pitchforks.
DanM | Jul 29, 2010 | Reply
DanM, Sorry to break the news to you, but the money you paid into Social Security is long gone. It was spent by the government as soon as it was collected. The only question now is whether to continue to steal from your children and grandchildren to reimburse you for the money you unfortunately were swindled out of.
Paul Theroux | Jul 30, 2010 | Reply
I haven’t read much about the corporate takeover of government and damn near everything else.
I guess your mailman is pretty dangerous.
Patsy Lowe | Jul 31, 2010 | Reply
I believe our imperial wars and expansion will bankrupt the nation.
Patsy Lowe | Jul 31, 2010 | Reply
Thank you RT, a sane voice.
Patsy Lowe | Jul 31, 2010 | Reply
Jim, we do not have FREE MARKETS. Too many rely on subsidies extracted from the hated government. Corporations now own the Congress.
Patsy Lowe | Jul 31, 2010 | Reply
John: That’s right; take from you, give to the military industrial complex; Billions to entities like the Nuclear power people; Billions in subsidies to oil companies; support 700 military bases in 120; rescue Wall Street. Take from you to invade a country that did nothing to the U.S.; and kill a lot of innocent people in the process.
Patsy Lowe | Jul 31, 2010 | Reply
Paul: the money in Social Security was removed by Bush Jr. and IOU’s put in place. Why does Social Security light people up so much and our military and the Pentagon draws barely a “tsk”?
Patsy Lowe | Jul 31, 2010 | Reply
Foweler: Yes, corporations depend on government, i.e., taxpayers, for billions in subsidies to Agricultural Industry; the Military Industrial Complex depends on your money for the largest military in the world; Boeing, Lockheed Martin, that whole bunch couldn’t do it with out you.
Patsy Lowe | Jul 31, 2010 | Reply
Mr. Hardy has hit the nail with the hammer. Exactly. Now, what to do about it?
alzurzin | Aug 1, 2010 | Reply
I think this essay has a wrong perspective. Sure there are the two classes, “ruling” and “country”, but there is a third that is instrumental in keeping the ‘ruling’ class in place. The third class is the ‘enemy’ class. This is the group of organizations and people used by the ‘ruling’ class to justify its power and used to require rules from the ruling class. This class of people shifts based on the need of the time, but generally contains: bankers, banks, industry and CEOos, ‘white’ people, etc. As long as the ‘country’ class buys into the dangers of the ‘enemy’ class, the ‘ruling’ class will be in power.
Homer | Aug 17, 2010 | Reply
These people know they are superior in every way, and they are not shy about letting us know that they are. Arrogance might as well be their middle name.
James Morgan - Puritan Financial Advisor | Aug 19, 2010 | Reply
Wow — both Higgs’ analysis and Codevilla’s description leave me struggling for air, as well they should. Link and tag both everywhere you can, pse.
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America -can- extract herself from this dic-traitor-torial trap starting on Nov 2, 2010. It’s going to be a ‘hard slog’ and it -could- generate another ‘greatest generation’ w/o the warfare/bloodshed.
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This we must do, or else.
Oscar BullFrog | Sep 2, 2010 | Reply