I don't think it's downplayed so much as implied - when a country has an increasing number of disenfranchised people but still has economic growth that outpaces

I don't think it's downplayed so much as implied - when a country has an increasing number of disenfranchised people but still has economic growth that outpaces their population growth, the wealth is probably accruing somewhere else (ie, those ambitious people.) I also feel like that's exactly what is happening in the US. I write software in the Bay Area (surprise) and its striking to me that I make more money that several married couples I know where both partners work full time. The couples that do make more than me all have at least one person in tech or medical. Generally, these people are also more ambitious, but not to the degree the difference in income would imply.