You were told this was a democracy but it isn't and the idea that it "worked" in the past is because the working class interests and solutions lined up with the ruling class.

Kinda like when you are given a vote for what to eat as a kid and you pick something your parent already wanted so lo and behold you are eating sandwiches.

Well the same dynamic can be applied to things like the cold war, financial imperialism, westward expansion, etc.

The problem is that now the chickens are coming home and you are finding out just how disposable you truly are.