One of the primary objectives of the self-proclaimed elite is to ensure that the majority of the population is always fighting for its livelihood and has no money, time or inclination for anything else. This is how social systems are built. Yes, even the most liberal democracies. Autocracies above all.
How can we get out of this?
Elections need to be reformed so that demagoguery does not prevail, but responsible thinking, information and expertise do, politicians and the billionaires who collude with them for power need to be cut back, free-market capitalism needs to be limited in its impact on politics, education needs to be made free and raised to an extremely high level, absolute secularisation needs to be implemented, and the protection of people and the environment needs to be put before profit. If these are achieved (there is nothing technically impossible about it), then humanity still has a chance of living in a more sustainable world. Otherwise it will be total chaos, which we are already seeing very ominous signs of on all fronts.