History tells us that the repressed and disadvantaged underclass will only tolerate that position for so long.

“From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs” ( Jeder nach seinen Fähigkeiten, jedem nach seinen Bedürfnissen) is a slogan popularised by Karl Marx. But you don’t need to be a Marxist to believe it. Indeed it underpins the political logic of every modern Welfare State.

When the Right vehemently opposes tax rises they are often denying the moral logic of redistribution. And yet a civilised society depends on just that. The principle is clear and, I would have thought, fairly uncontroversial. All societies have a hierarchy of wealth within them – from the rich man in his castle to the poor man at his gate. That the former should help the latter does not require a revolution, though it could lead to one if it is denied.

In late 18th Century France the bourgeoisie played a fundamental role in the French economy, accounting for 39.1% of national income despite only accounting for 7.7% of the population. Whilst the causes of the French Revolution went well beyond wealth inequalities these were unquestionably a major cause. Roll forward to today:

• The U.S. has the highest level of income inequality among developed countries.
• In 2021, the richest 1% of households earned 139 times more than the bottom 20%.

Arguably modern America is a more unequal society than pre revolutionary France. And measures proposed by the Trump administration will widen that gap further. The supreme irony, of course, is that many in the boondocks who voted for Trump will now be comparatively poorer from a low base.

Bernie Sanders has been arguing the evil of inequality for a long time – remember he very nearly won the Democratic nomination in 2016 ahead of Hillary. If he had he might just have beaten Trump. There are strong signs at the moment that his consistent message is helping spur action just where it needs to – in the deprived heartlands of Trump’s Red States. Bernie will be 84 in September and must pass the mantle of articulating the need for redistributive action on to someone else. Many on the anti Trump inspired American Left are waiting in the wings. Bernie called his 2016 book “Our Revolution”. It could be coming.

The violence in America rumbles below the surface much of the time, but occasionally breaks out. History tells us that often the repressed and disadvantaged underclass will only tolerate that position for so long. Trump’s Divine Right of Kings is vulnerable – Revolution is not impossible.