They say those who do not remember the past are doomed to repeat it and I find it funny because that's exactly what they've done. Throughout history there is a very clear cycle of rise and collapse. What seems to happen is that the people all start out with very little, they're all essentially poor. As time passes they start taking advantage of one another, they all do really, some gain and some lose. Those who gain are able to use what they gain to gain even more and they accomplish this by using what they've gained to employ those who have lost.
Eventually the world's population is divided into three classes. The upper class uses the middle class to do most of their higher end work and they use the lower class to keep the middle class content through service related labor. In order to make things work, in order to ensure that the upper class always receives the lions share of the proceeds from any endeavor the lower class receives the least, the middle class receives a bit more and also receives the services of the lower class while the upper class receives the most and the services of both the lower and middle classes. The lower class generally has barely enough to make ends meet, if even that, which upsets them to a great degree not too mention their poor working conditions. Because of this the upper class uses the middle class to police the lower class and ensure they continue working for the upper class by providing services to the middle class which keeps them content to work for the upper class.
What the middle class is provided with is only enough to keep them content for a period of time, they're not treated terribly well either, marginally better than the lower class. There always comes a time when what once kept the middle class content no longer does so and the bitterness in the lower class reaches a breaking point. Sick and tired of being someones lap dog the lower classes turn against the upper class in a violent coup that usually ends with the rich being tortured and beheaded. With the rich disposed of the economy is thrown into chaos, the empire simply ceases to exist and everyone is reset back to zero.
The cycle begins again, the people start taking advantage of one another, some gain and some lose. This cycle has repeated again and again, it wasn't until fairly recently that we've really begun to uncover our past. This time things have a chance to be different, this time we remember. This time we know what's going to happen, the only question is what are we going to do about it? For the first time we have a chance to change the course of history. The clock is ticking.
P.S. You might wonder just why it is that this system eventually reaches the breaking point, why does it always become unstable. It's the result of an inevitable flaw. What the middle class receives to keep them content, the products and services that they purchase to keep them happy are like a drug each time they buy something new they receive a small euphoric rush that lasts but a short time. Like any drug each time they buy something they need to buy something bigger and better the next time in order to receive the same rush. Eventually the system simply cannot keep up with their ever expanding need to be placated. Eventually the system cannot produce enough to keep them content in their servitude. It cannot be avoided, the rules are woven into the fabric of existence.
Increasingly unable to drown out the pain their anger grows. Their productivity begins to suffer fueling their inability to placate themselves. Eventually it all comes to a grinding halt and the people go through massive withdrawal, their anger is released in an extreme show of violence. Unwilling to place blame upon themselves it is the minority who will suffer the greatest. In reality the fault belongs to everyone who supported this failed system. The rich were merely trying to survive the system like everyone else, but like so many times before they will become the scape goat, probably along with other minorities such as the gays and followers of Judaism.
Speaking of scape goats I find it interesting that through a good portion of history those of the Jewish faith find themselves being a target. I think when the masses need a scape goat Judaism is an easy target and it's not necessarily because they're Jewish, but because they're in the minority. They're an easy target because they can't fight back, they have trouble defending themselves because there is less of them.
Obviously those seeking a scape goat will cook up what ever reason they need to justify their actions and they're certainly not going to admit that they just need someone who can't fight back to point the finger at. This has happened so many times throughout history and we've never done ourselves any favors by creating scape goats. We can blame others until we're blue in the face, but none of the problems will ever be solved until we face ourselves head on.