While labor unions and middle-class advocacy groups declined, corporate interests organized into powerful lobbying machines.
In their book , political scientists Jacob S. Hacker and Paul Pierson present a "detective story" that investigates why American economic inequality has skyrocketed since the late 1970s. The Central Mystery: Who Stole the Middle-Class Dream?
For decades, Americans were told that rising inequality was an inevitable result of —the idea that computers and globalization naturally reward the highly educated while leaving others behind. However, the authors argue that this "suspect" has an alibi. If technology were the only cause, we would see similar inequality spikes in all advanced nations, yet the U.S. remains a stark outlier. The Investigation: The "Yachts vs. Dinghies" Economy
Between 1979 and 2007, the richest 1% saw their income grow by 256% , while the bottom 80% grew by only 20% .
The "crime" wasn't committed by the market, but by . The story highlights a massive organizational shift starting around 1978:
The authors found that economic growth didn't just favor the "educated"—it favored the , and even more so the top 0.1% .
This political muscle led to deregulated financial markets, tax cuts for the hyper-wealthy, and a system where "banks are organized; their customers are not".
Instead of a rising tide lifting all boats, they describe an economy where "yachts are rising, but dinghies are largely staying put". The Culprit: Organized Politics