Here’s a great example of why people aren’t taught the Classics anymore in school:

Aristotle’s theory is that by giving power to the middle class (the majority), the minorities of rich and poor will not be able to draw the government into oligarchy or democracy, respectively. Also, by setting up the natural enemies of rich and poor as the opposition to the government, one ensures that the government will not be overthrown by the people, for the rich and poor, loathing each other as they do, will never collaborate on anything. Rather, the government plays the arbitrator, gaining friendship from both and hatred from neither: “The arbiter is always the one trusted, and he who is in the middle is an arbiter,” (Politics, Book IV, Part XII).

Actually, I’d say that the government gains both the hatred and friendship of both. And that oligarchy seems to triumph, but that they have to pretend to pander to the people (but for how long?). Otherwise, this seems like a really accurate picture of America today. Add to this the reward/punishment system designed for the middle class - if you work hard, you get rich. You screw up, you get poor. But what really happens in most cases is that you simply get caught in the game and stay where you are.