In the past, concessions would be given to workers to stave off talk of revolution. Think of the new deal, etc.
These days, whether through incompetence or ideological intent (the end result is the same so the distinction doesn’t matter much to me), the ruling class just will not allow any pumping of the brakes, any tiny release valve to stop the pressure building.
I find it a fascinating phenomenon that they are incapable of doing something positive for society, even to save their own skin. It baffles me, especially considering how successful it has been in the past.
I’d love to see some analysis of why it’s become this way though. All the same avenues are available to the wealthiest country on earth as there were in the past when crises occurred and capitalism was threatened.
The only explanation that makes sense is complete incompetence from top to bottom, and in that case, how did incompetence at the highest levels become so commonplace that it is threatening the entire system? They seem pretty competent at repression and punishment, as you say.
because after decades of lingering illness the state is actually dead. The United States of America does not exist. The heart has stopped, neurons no longer fire in the brain. Only the state violence immune-response cells still blunder around in the cooling corpse, still trying to suppress a working class that no longer exists
Osmosis Joe 2: Climate Collapse
Now thats a dark movie. Bill Murray dead and decaying, raccoons eating his body. Osmosis Jones and the few remaining cells dont realize the body is dead at first, but slowly realize the case and then must come to terms with and find meaning as their world around them literally rots.