Paul Krugman: Plutocracy, Paralysis, Perplexity

Before the Great Recession, I would sometimes give public lectures in which I would talk about rising
inequality, making the point that the concentration of income at the top had reached levels not seen since
1929. Often, someone in the audience would ask whether this meant that another depression was
imminent.

Well, whaddya know?

Did the rise of the 1 percent (or, better yet, the 0.01 percent) cause the Lesser Depression we’re now living through? It probably contributed. But the more important point is that inequality is a major reason the
economy is still so depressed and unemployment so high. For we have responded to crisis with a mix of
paralysis and confusion — both of which have a lot to do with the distorting effects of great wealth on our
society.