Worth Re-reading: American Oligarchy (2024)

 Source: Mother Jones

The Russian invasion of Ukraine triggered an unprecedented crackdown by the United States and other Western nations on the mansions, megayachts, and bank accounts of Russia’s ultrawealthy tycoons. Yet targeting Russia’s oligarchs surfaced some uncomfortable questions about our own political and financial systems and the people who shape them. So we thought it was time for a good, long look in the mirror. For our January + February 2024 issue, Mother Jones explores the rise and power of the emerging class of billionaires—fueled by the monopolistic growth of Big Tech—who are remaking America in their own decadent and extractive image. Their bored whims and futuristic fantasies shape how and where you live and work, even as their own worlds are increasingly siloed off from the rest of us. Welcome to the American Oligarchy.

PART 1: Introduction 

* The Rise of the American Oligarchy

*It’s Time the Word “Oligarch” Lost Its Russian Veneer

PART 2: Hoarding

* How The US became a Refuge for Dirty Money

* The Dark Side of the $100 bill

* When Gilded Age Lawmakers Saved America From Plutocracy

* How the Rich Keep Their Riches Out of Reach

* Refuge for the Robber Barons

* This Is What It Costs to Be Rich

* Martha’s Vineyard Is Being Gutted by Skyrocketing Housing Costs. Yes, You Should Care.

PART 3: Influencing

* Philanthropy in America Is Broken

* Billionaires’ Giving Pledge: Part Tax Strategy, Part PR Stunt

* A Brief History of Superyachts

* How “Woke Capitalism” Became a Right-Wing Obsession

* Receipts. Proof. Timelines. Screenshots: Why We Can’t Look Away From Rich People’s Drama

* How Hollywood Learned to Eat the Rich

PART 4: Dominating

* Elon Musk’s Texas Takeover

* There Is a Very Good Reason Why Donald Trump Thinks Everything Is Rigged

* Meet the Silicon Valley CEOs Who Insist That Greed Is Good

* These Billionaires Want to Disrupt Death—and Keep Their Fortunes Forever

* Welcome to America’s Wealthiest Zip Code

* Monet Changes Everything

* Australia vs. Rupert Murdoch