SGUK Ep 149
The Power Trap: Why the Elite Stay Rich and You Struggle
Hello Ivy here,
“Ever wonder how the rich stay rich while the rest struggle? In this podcast, we dive into the hidden world of the elite—how they manipulate power, control wealth, and avoid consequences. But what are the risks? And can the system ever change?”
“The heart of the article and this podcast will be to look at how the global elite, monarchy and old money maintain influence while remaining insulated from societal issues. The main themes of the article and the podcast relates to privilege, influence and the reluctance to change existing power structures. How do elites maintain their status? What about consequences? What are the risks, if any? ie social stratification, resistance to change. Mental Health is one of the 5 areas that my podcast channel has on all its branding, so in that respect, what are the psychological effects of privilege and isolation? What about the children – inheriting privilege and responsibility with very limited competence where it is needed, but surrounded by ‘yes’ people 24/7 telling them they are the best things since sliced bread etc. How to encourage accountability and engagement among the elite? My main focus in my podcasts and articles is about those who escape from Monarchy families, some of whom operate like a cult. Globally our world is moving in a worrying direction. A world increasingly controlled by Elites, without competence but a hunger for power and control
Let us break it down into sizeable chunks of discussion points, and thought provoking analysis in our quieter moments. A few questions to set the mind thinking and subsequently questioning a few concerns around a few topics/situations.
- “Did you know that most billionaires today pass down their wealth tax-free, while the average person struggles with cost-of-living crises?”
- “We live in a world where power isn’t earned—it’s inherited. And the people inheriting it often lack competence but hold influence over policies that affect you and I.”
- “What happens when people born into wealth live their entire lives surrounded by ‘yes men/women’ and never face real-world struggles?”
How the Elite Stay Insulated
- Old Money & Monarchy: Inherited power & how “birthright” still determines global influence.
- Media Control: Billionaire-owned media & controlled narratives.
- Wealth Hoarding: Trust funds, tax loopholes, and avoiding financial accountability.
The Psychological Toll of Privilege
- Mental Health & Isolation: The loneliness of privilege & being surrounded by “yes” people.
- Children of the Elite: Born into power but often unprepared to handle it.
- The ‘Bubble Effect’: When wealth & privilege make elites completely disconnected from real-world issues.
Risks of Elite Rule & Resistance to Change
- Social Stratification: The wider the gap, the more resentment builds.
- Lack of Consequences: Why elites rarely face justice (Epstein, corporate fraud, financial crimes).
- Resistance Movements: Are we seeing a rise in anti-elite sentiment?
How Can the Elite Be Held Accountable?
- Solutions for Change: What policy changes, activism, and awareness can do.
- Escaping the System: Examples of royals & elites who broke free.
- Final Thoughts: The world is becoming more controlled by an incompetent elite. What will happen if things don’t change?
On a separate but linked podcast channel, I am working on a small book relating to the Windrush scandal, and I have set up 12 monthly podcasts to run until January 2026. Different subject matter, but there are similarities around power and the powerless, or at best way less power than the elite group that controlled their destiny.
Windrush & Systemic Injustice – Future Articles & Podcast Expansion
Your new podcast on Windrush is an incredibly powerful direction. The way the UK government erased lives and histories with one bureaucratic act is exactly the kind of systemic injustice that aligns with the broader themes—power vs. the powerless, state control, erasure, and justice denied, that are being discussed in this podcast.
This means the future topics from both podcast topics could interconnect on this area of concern.:
🔹 Elites & Data Control – How governments and the wealthy manipulate data and history to erase, suppress, and maintain power. (Windrush as a case study.)
🔹 The Psychological Toll of Being ‘Erased’ – The mental health impact on those affected by elite-controlled policies (e.g., Windrush victims, displaced communities, exiles).
🔹 Who Holds the Power? – How institutions (royalty, politicians, wealthy families) continue to operate above consequence, even as people suffer.
“Have you ever wondered why the elite NEVER face consequences?”
“It’s not just about money—it’s about POWER. The rich don’t just get lucky; they’ve built a system designed to keep them at the top while the rest of us struggle. Loopholes, tax havens, and inherited influence mean they stay in control—without accountability.”
This is a very interesting article and well worth a read. The reference source link takes you to:- www.curiousalexander.com › elites-the-perennial Newsletter, dated 1st January 2025.
Think of current events around the world, some of which are referred to in this article, and one could easily imagine it was written yesterday.
I can’t quote from the article, Financial Times do not allow it without payment, but I really do hope that you look it up for yourselves and that it gives you food for thought. In summary, it touched on the following:-
The article explains that an unspoken agreement exists between societal elites and citizens, where elites enjoy power and privileges while providing security and prosperity to the people. When elites fail to deliver their end of this bargain, they risk replacement—a process that occurs relatively smoothly in democracies but tends to be prolonged and violent in authoritarian systems.
Elites: the perennial rulers and their failures
Elites have always ruled societies, but their success often depends on how well they serve the public good. Are today’s elites leading or merely preserving their own privileges? One of the articles listed in the Reference Sources, explores why elites fail, why we’ll always need them, and how to hold them accountable.
The word elite comes from the Latin eligere, meaning “to choose.” Historically, elites were seen as the chosen few—those selected to lead because of their wisdom, bravery, or skill.
Fast forward a few thousand years, and the concept has evolved into something far less flattering. Today, elites are often viewed not as the chosen but as the self-appointed: a group more concerned with preserving their own power than fulfilling their responsibilities to society.
But for all their importance, elites have a bad habit of losing their way. Time and again, they become insular, self-serving, and disconnected from the people they’re supposed to lead.
The failure of elites to serve the public isn’t a new story. History shows us that elites, left unchecked, often succumb to the same predictable pitfalls:
Insulation and groupthink. Elites often exist in echo chambers, surrounded by people who think and act like them. This fosters a culture of groupthink, where dissenting ideas are dismissed and self-serving decisions are justified as “necessary” or “rational.”
NB The Above paragraph can easily describe a few groups around the globe who are behaving exactly like this, and some of them are not as far away as one might think.
Did You Know? The term groupthink was coined in the 20th century by psychologist Irving Janis, but the concept is much older. Plato warned about the dangers of “elite delusions” in his Republic, arguing that rulers who grow too detached from the people become blind to reality.
The accountability deficit. Many elites operate in systems where failure carries few consequences. Politicians who bungle major policies often land cushy think-tank jobs. CEOs who tank companies walk away with millions in severance. Without meaningful accountability, there’s little incentive to prioritise public good over personal gain. In the words of the great American economist, Thomas Sowell, “It is hard to imagine a more stupid or more dangerous way of making decisions than by putting those decisions in the hands of people who pay no price for being wrong.”
“Economic elites gain power by amassing wealth, acquiring ownership stakes in key industries, and influencing policies that affect the global economy. Through their wealth, they have the ability to shape public opinion, influence elections, and lobby for favourable regulations. They also control vast networks of capital that allow them to exert pressure on both politicians and ordinary citizens. In this sense, economic elites often intersect with ruling elites, as political decisions are often made with their economic interests in mind.”
Think of current events around the world, some of which are referred to in this article, and one could easily imagine it was written yesterday.
I need say nothing further on that score, other than to say, there are a few nations who claim to be democracies, but are currently behaving like something else. Those who appear to be the faces of power, and in control by designation of Title, are not really working for or speaking to the general masses of the population. Those elected officials are answering to an unseen group of people, and those officials out front are mere puppets who believe that they will be ok as long as they do as expected. They are in for a rude awakening. I can think of at least two nations in the Western hemisphere who I am convinced fit this arrangement. I do not believe that I am mistaken. It is evident to me that there are officials who are trying to carve out the safest niche that they consider will benefit them in the long run. The fact that there are increasing numbers of nations who are at different points in the process regarding the places on the rung of the ladder of Elites and the connection between them and leaders of industry and business groups, cloaked in secrecy or pretending to be involved in a random area of corporate business but who clearly liaise with the influential Elites – between them they pose a danger to society as we know it. The signs are there. It is happening. I include Monarchies in the Group think description earlier.
I will end this podcast with a repeat of a few lines mentioned earlier re Groupthink and the risk of certain outcomes, depending upon how the cards are made to fall. This is the quote I am repeating:- Elites often exist in echo chambers, surrounded by people who think and act like them. This fosters a culture of groupthink, where dissenting ideas are dismissed and self-serving decisions are justified as “necessary” or “rational.”
NB The above paragraph can easily describe a few groups around the globe who are behaving exactly like this, and some of them are not as far away as one might think.
Ivy Barrow
090325
Podcast Reference Sources
https://www.curiousxander.com/elites-the-perennial-rulers-and-their-failures/
This is a very interesting article and well worth a read. The reference source link takes you to:- www.curiousalexander.com › elites-the-perennial Newsletter, dated 1st January 2025.
The Financial Times 14th Jan 2014 https://www.ft.com/content/cfc1eb1c-76d8-11e3-807e-00144feabdc0
Another very interesting link:- https://www.newsweek.com/popular-uprising-against-elites-has-gone-global-opinion-1722653 This article referred to an uprising of the working class against the elites.
www.jstor.org › stable › 4106384The Empirical Side of the Power Elite Debate: An Assessment ..