The elite retreat into gated communities and private systems (schools, healthcare).

The broader population, feeling abandoned and judged, turns toward populism as a desperate attempt to be heard. Democracy Without Citizenship

Democracy requires a "common world"—a set of shared values, spaces, and stakes. When the elite "revolt" by opting out of this shared reality, democracy becomes a hollow shell. It turns into a technocratic exercise where policies are managed by experts rather than debated by citizens.

Since they no longer share the same public services as the working class, they have little incentive to maintain them.

Unlike the old aristocracy, which felt a paternalistic (if flawed) obligation to their local soil, today's "meritocratic" elites often feel they owe nothing to their neighbors. They live in a world of international finance, digital networks, and global travel. In their eyes, the "masses" are not a community to be served, but a backward obstacle to progress. The Meritocracy Trap

In 1994, Christopher Lasch turned a famous phrase on its head. While 20th-century thinkers often feared a "revolt of the masses" destabilizing civilization, Lasch argued the real threat came from the top. Today, as the gap between the "anywheres" (the mobile professional class) and the "somewheres" (those rooted in local communities) widens, his warning feels less like history and more like a daily headline. The Retreat from the Common Ground

The "traison de la démocratie" (betrayal of democracy) happens when meritocracy becomes a new form of class warfare. When the elite believe they reached the top solely through their own "talent and hard work," they view those left behind with a certain disdain. This creates a vicious cycle: