Randi Rhodes: We've swapped places with China and India.

So if they have 350 million who are "middle class", they still have another 1000 million who are not.

China is ranked below 90th in the world in terms of GDP per capita. India is below them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(PPP)_per_capita

If China has 300 Million people buying whatever make the rich richer, they will not only not give a damn about the rest, they will actively help the Elite kill the rest, and encourage them to do it. The elite are a small parcel among all continents, with no loyalty to any save themselves, as were the old Pirates whose flag was the Jolly Roger.

Let me be real blunt, if the elite could make money off of mass murder, the sort of atrocities that make the Nazis look like cute cartoons, they will encourage it in all nations, period. The difference being that Americans are the only people stupid enough to think it is the way Jesus wants it.

sell you the rope with which to hang him."

I always did dig Lenin's sense of humor

But sadly, he, like many Marxists, never understood the masses. Yes, that sounds ironic, but truth he told, he had no idea how much the masses can take a few crumbs of hope and make a meal out of it. As long as there is some idea, however threadbare, that a member of the lower classes can eventually earn a decent living and even perhaps become wealthy, they will solider on, because that is what survival instinct allows for. In China and India, however many teeming masses live on a dollar a day, there are enough newly middle class and even wealthy people that the propaganda will burn on, even after it burns out in America. In true fashion, these Chinese and Indian yuppies will believe all the old Horatio Alger myths, even if they use a different accent. Add to this that both cultures are already comfortable with the idea that poor people are just fulfilling their roles; they do not need religion to believe "the poor will always be with you."

the blindly self-destructive nature of the 'profit motive.'

Lenin's wisdom was illustrated quite literally in (among other places) Vietnam, where corrupt officials of the puppet regime took U.S. weaponry provided via various aid programs ca. 1954-74 and sold it on the black market to agents of the NLF. Well, perhaps I should say 'figuratively,' as the puppets were selling guns and ammo and not rope

I've always found that quite ironic.

market, their food consumption does not contribute to GDP. If their housing is subsidized and much cheaper in China than in the US, then less money will change hands when rent is paid in the marketplace, and that will also lower the GDP in China as compared to the GDP in the US.

If wages are lower in China but costs are also so much lower that the Chinese have 30% disposable income beyond necessities than we do, then that tells you who is doing better. GDP is kind of a meaningless figure nowadays.

uses the name 'Communist' but this is a name only.

There was a successful capitalist counter-revolution against the Maoist Communist regime (last known as "The Gang of Four") after Mao's death.

your larger point, I must admit.

I never know how pedantic to get when responding here. Seems obvious now I erred in the direction of too much pedantry, so hope you'll take my apology in good faith

But we're trying hard to follow the corporate paradigm that has us hostage to our consumption.

I truly believe the middle class will save this nation again. Whether we reap the benefits, or accomplish that goal in my lifetime are questions that will take time...