It's interesting that, in my country, the ones that are retained are the PMs, because they are the "decision makers" and thhus the ones that really add value.

It's interesting that, in my country, the ones that are retained are the PMs, because they are the "decision makers" and thhus the ones that really add value. Developers are perceived as mere technicians, who can be cheaply replaced, if not directly hired as contractor. I worked in other countries were the power balance was like the one you described, and it definitely felt more rational. My point is: it is incredible how much variety you can find among the various countries/cultures. What is true in the US can be false somewhere else.