FIRMS & WORKERS: Job Security

In the case study on The Downsizing of America, Princeton University political theorist Alan Ryan says, "When we reach a situation in which the bottom 80%--not the underclass, but most of the population--sees itself struggling to make ends meet, sees no gains from increased productivity, and sees an elite creaming [off] all the benefits of a transformed economy, trouble looms."

These words were written nearly 25 years ago. Fast forward to 2016 when Donald Trump was elected president. Many argued that he won in large part because his "message" resonated with the very people mentioned in the quote above. Indeed, what was a "looming trouble" in the mid-90s has become an actual problem today given the fact that, in addition to globalization, the "trouble" mentioned here is still with us today.

Choose one of the ethical theories we have discussed to assess these developments. Looking back over the past 20--30 years, was it possible to avoid all this trouble by having made better decisions then? Why or why not? Or perhaps it's no trouble at all, since a select few individuals and industries (tech, investment banking, energy) have become billionaires several hundred times over?