From 1945 the western democracies, led by the US, followed an economic policy of overt redistribution. Tax rates for rich individials and corporations in these countries were MUCH higher than they are now. This led to a hugely expanded 'middle class' that was able to buy housing for the first time, and the incresaed consumption of manufactured goods fuelled econmic growth. European countries, and countries such as Australia, Canada and New Zealand, used this new-found wealth to create a social safety net and make health services universal (more or less). The US did not follow this social model as vigirously as their 'allies'. Much of the rest of the world were not able to use such wealth to better the conditions of the population. The communist countries sought, theoretically, egalitarianism, and did achieve greater access to health and education for their people, but could not provide the economic growth to improve their lives, and were ideilogically opposed to any form of entrepreneurial activitty that might have improved their living conditions. The rest of the worrld was subject to having the wealth of their countries extracted for use, mostly by the 'west' and their peoples' conditions were relatively unchanged. The Reagan government began to turn back these advances, seeking to lower taxes on the wealthier, and introduce neo-liberal economic policies that sought to increase the wealth and power of corporations, and their owners. This was taken up by most of the rightwing political parties in 'the west', most enthusiastacally in the UK. Trump and his like want to entrench and reverse the redistribution of wealth even further than that introduced by the neoliberals. Informed democratic choices cannot be made by people struggling to survive. It is far easier to convince them that the little that they have can be taken away from them by people who have even less, while the wealthy enrich themselves at their expense. Solution? Tax the wealthy.