Justice delayed is justice denied. History is littered with moments like this—times when the elite believed their power was untouchable, their wealth untouchable, and their actions justifiable. Yet, over and over, their arrogance and detachment led to tipping points, sparking movements that reshaped societies. Consider these parallels:
- Marie Antoinette and the French Monarchy: The detachment of the monarchy during the French Revolution, epitomized by the infamous “Let them eat cake” moment, mirrors modern leaders who are out of touch with the struggles of ordinary people.
- Rome’s Bread and Circuses: Distracting the masses with superficial gestures while ignoring deep societal fractures echoes today’s corporate PR campaigns and tone-deaf messaging.
- The Gilded Age and the Robber Barons: The wealth gap in the late 19th century, when tycoons like Rockefeller and Carnegie amassed fortunes while workers toiled in squalor, pales in comparison to today’s staggering income inequality. During the Gilded Age, the wealthiest 1% controlled roughly 40% of the nation’s wealth. Today, they hold over 50%—despite a far more complex and interdependent economy
- The British East India Company: Exploitation on a global scale for shareholder profit parallels the healthcare industry’s prioritization of profits over lives.
- The Fall of Tsarist Russia: The Romanov dynasty collapsed under the weight of its inability to recognize and address the suffering of the masses—a cautionary tale for today’s corporate leaders
- Martin Luther’s 95 Theses: Just as Luther challenged a corrupt system with his denunciation of indulgences, today’s growing voices demand accountability for systemic corporate greed.
- The Zapatista Uprising: This modern rebellion against exploitation in Mexico resonates with those today fighting against neoliberal policies and corporate overreach
- The Peasants’ Revolt in Medieval England: A rebellion against feudal inequality, echoing today’s battles against corporate monopolies and unchecked executive power.
- The Suffragette Movement: Vilified for their “radical” tactics, suffragettes ultimately dismantled systemic barriers—just as modern movements aim to disrupt entrenched corporate greed.
It’s not the first time the powerful have ignored history’s lessons. Nor is it the first time they’ve been blind to the growing discontent below. The parallels are striking: a wealthy, insulated elite that can’t—or won’t—acknowledge the pain their policies create.
We see this arrogance clearly in UnitedHealth Group CEO Andrew Witty’s recent leaked video to employees. In a moment of growing public outrage, Witty chose to double down, saying, “What we know to be true is the health system needs a company like UnitedHealth Group.” He dismissed criticism as “critical noise” that “does not reflect reality” and urged employees to “tune out the negative messaging you hear on social media.”
The tone-deafness is glaring. This isn’t just damage control—it’s a desperate attempt to preserve the status quo, to keep employees from facing the cognitive dissonance of dehumanizing the customers they’re supposed to serve. His message seeks to rationalize profit-driven practices that deny people healthcare and cost lives. It’s a playbook as old as history: distract, dismiss, and demonize the critics.
But as we’ve seen time and again, this strategy doesn’t stop the tide. During the Gilded Age, industrialists claimed their wealth and power were essential for progress, even as income inequality hit historic highs. Yet the disparity between rich and poor then is eclipsed by today’s stark divide:
- Gilded Age: The top 1% held about 40% of national wealth in 1890.
- Today: The top 1% control more than 50% of national wealth, while the bottom 50% hold less than 2%.
The same unchecked greed that fueled the labor strikes and social unrest of the late 19th century is alive and well today, magnified by the complexity of global markets and the reliance on systems like healthcare that are indispensable to survival.
History shows us that these cycles—of exploitation, inequality, and eventual reckoning—repeat. The question is whether today’s corporate elites will recognize the echoes of past collapses in the growing discontent of their customers and employees. Will they learn from the downfalls of kings, tsars, robber barons, and empires? Or will they cling to their profits until the system they’ve built crumbles beneath them?
As UnitedHealth’s CEO pleads for his employees to “tune out the noise,” the reality he wants to suppress is undeniable: justice isn’t an abstract ideal. It’s an action. It’s a demand. It’s a movement. And, as history has shown, it’s coming.
The warning signs are clear: the fractures are growing, and the ripple effects are turning into a tidal wave. This isn’t just a moment. It’s a reckoning. The elite can either listen—or prepare to be remembered the way history recalls Marie Antoinette, the Romanovs, and the robber barons: as a cautionary tale of what happens when greed blinds those in power to the needs of the people they depend on.