Wealth and Want in the United States

In Democracy for the Few, Parenti illustrates how our society is primarily divided into two categories: the “owning class” and the “working class.” He explains those who are considered the “owning class,” are the extremely well-to-do people; those who are independently wealthy and mostly live on profits from their investments. This class consists of wealthy stockholders of large corporations, but also includes the struggling small business owners. Parenti compares these giant corporations and small businesses …

…also explains that many indigent immigrants are reduced to searching for food in trash cans. Parenti reports that these deprived living conditions often lead to mental disorders, depression and in some cases even suicide. Parenti closes by avowing that the information provided in this chapter is not to appear as a direct attack n the U.S. government, but rather to shed light on the current market system that victimizes the people in this nation.