I think the "Four Turnings" model of Strauss and Howe might be accurate. Their hypothesis is that American society (actually, Anglo-American) experiences crises

I think the "Four Turnings" model of Strauss and Howe might be accurate. Their hypothesis is that American society (actually, Anglo-American) experiences crises about every 80-90 years (Armada, Glorious Revolution, American Revolution, Civil War, World War II). The First Turning is the post-crisis high (for the past 500 years, we've emerged successfully from each, although that's not guaranteed to continue. The Second is the peak, the Third Turning is a cynical, chaotic unraveling period, and the Fourth is the crisis. (For the past 100 years, most of the world has been on the Anglo-American cycle.) In the recent First Turning (1945-65) we saw broad-based improvements for all social classes, and progress on civil rights. In the Second (1965-85) Turning, technological progress continued but the working class was thrown under the bus, while the middle class continued to do well. The Third Turning (1985-2007) saw the middle class get hit as well, but the upper-middle-class did OK. In the first half of the Fourth Turning (2008-) the upper-middle class ("the 9 percent") is getting smashed and, later on, it will start to affect the upper class. It seems to be a pattern whereby the rot travels up the social ladder. The disintegration is finally recognized as a problem only when it starts taking out the elite (as it did, last, in 1929). It's not clear what our "crisis" looks like or even whether we're in one, but I think that will be more clear in a few years. In this light, none of this news surprises me.