The West sick of its social elevator failure

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Under the guise of ecology and “smart growth”, the fall in home ownership could threaten our democracies and establish a new feudalism.

Joel Kotkin* for Quillette** (translation by Peggy Sastre)

Dn the Western world, since the end of the Second World War, the middle and working classes have sought to realize their ambitions. And as a rule, they succeeded. Among these aspirations: stable income, a house, a family and the prospect of a good retirement. The fact remains that from Sydney to San Francisco, such horizons continue to move away, and quickly. In question, the evolution of the economy, the outbreak of land costs and ever more restrictive legislation. So many factors that combine to explain why the new generation is finding it increasingly difficult to reach the standard of living of its elders. A generational gap between aspirations and disappointments that could characterize our demographic, political and social future.

In the USA…

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