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"How Oligarchs Dominate Our Democracies": Northwestern Prof Jeffrey Winters on Book "The Blind Spot"

2026-05-27 News & Politics
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Support our work: https://democracynow.org/donate/sm-desc-yt We speak with political scientist Jeffrey Winters about his new book, The Blind Spot: How Oligarchs Dominate Our Democracies. Winters argues that democracy's failure to address wealth inequality is by design. While voters have a say on some issues, oligarchs, who succeed in maintaining economic inequality by fighting against wealth redistribution, have more power. "Liberal democracies around the world are now among the most unequal societies ever to have existed in human history," says Winters. Democracy Now! is an independent global news hour that airs on over 1,500 TV and radio stations Monday through Friday. Watch our livestream at democracynow.org Mondays to Fridays 8-9 a.m. ET. Subscribe to our Daily Email Digest: https://democracynow.org/subscribe

Top Comments (10)

@pamelagray6854 2026-05-27

Thank you. To be informed is so very important to me.

22
@BobbyHickey 2026-05-27

All enabled by Congress! Anti-trust laws have not been enforced. They have allowed monopolies to form. Investment Firms own the majority of housing globally!!!!!! Break them up or shut them down! They are going after all the farms, water resources, and energy now. At what point will congress act? At what point will the people rise up? When they're already in the street hungry? That would be too late. Homelessness up 40% since 2023 among WORKING PEOPLE!

57 3 replies
@praktika1082 2026-05-27

There is no democracy without economic/financial justice and equality. A nation where a tenth of its population has no healthcare cover isn't a democratic one. A nation where 50% of its people live paycheck to paycheck and would fall into genuine financial trouble if a single emergency arises isn't a democracy.

20 1 replies
@BobbyHickey 2026-05-27

More billionaires will become targets of fed up Americans! It has already begun. They could come to the table and end wealth inequalities without missing a dime. The more money you have, the less your ability to have compassion. That has been proven.

47 3 replies
@yogi4lyfe 2026-05-27

Thank you!

19
@forbiddenmerch888 2026-05-27

Even people on the lowest rung of the middle class have no idea how bad it is for the poor. It's empathy that can't be taught.

9 1 replies
@kevinwilliams1768 2026-05-28

Excellent interview. Very insightful by Jeff Winters.

4 1 replies
@shantigoddess2314 2026-05-28

I totally agree. We have to stop this now while we can

3
@arthurestrada2682 2026-05-27

Our founding fathers said capitalism without regulation is theft. Multinational cooperations are and have been the greatest threat to democracy and our nation.

17 2 replies
@cashypoo100 2026-06-01

Brilliant TRUTH

1

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