The rate of inflation as of August 31 this year was 8.3%. The rate of increase of corporate profits was 22.6% for 2021. Just since 2010 the wealth of the top 1% grew by $43 trillion to over $60 trillion. "The stock portfolios of the top 1% are now worth $23 trillion, and they own a record 53.9% of individually held shares, according to the central bank." The national debt is about $31 trillion. It grew $17.3 trillion from 2010 to 2021 or about $1.438 trillion per year. So as cited above, since 2010 the wealth of the top 1% grew an average of $3.6 trillion per year ($43/12) while the national debt grew an average of $1.4 trillion per year. Clearly there is enough money to pay off the debt if there were a will. But the economy is pitched in favor of the richest while the government cried crocodile tears for the poor and middle class.
Surprise, surprise! Curious how the educational systems in capitalist countries don't make accounting/finance mandatory in high schools. Of course 4 years of English literature is really important. What light through yonder window keeps us broke?
The Screwing of the Average Man doesn't even get close to talking about the real ways average people are being screwed, and have been for centuries: landowner privilege, bankster privilege, oil and mineral "rights" privilege, landowner privilege, IP monopoly privilege, utility monopoly privilege, broadcast spectrum allocation privilege, and landowner privilege.