The Social Contract

In a capitalist system, a contract exists between the capitalist and his/her workforce, in simple terms, between the 1% and the rest of us.  For our part, we indemnify ourselves to wage slavery for our natural lives and, in return, the capitalist commits to maintaining whatever industry that sustains the system.  It is understood (at least it used to be) that the capitalist would be afforded a level of compensation that repaid him for his 'risk taking'.
That contract has been broken.  Entrepreneurs have forgotten (perhaps never really believed) their end of the bargain and have allowed the system (as have we: the engine that powers the system) to get seriously out of touch with the balance (or imbalance, if you will) that allowed the contract to perpetuate itself.
In a rapacious quest for riches, the oligarchy has allowed its members to overreach their grasp and throttle the masses that generate their wealth, in effect throttling the goose that lays their golden egg.  These are not the actions of evil people but of stupid people who have only one skill: avarice.
The faceless minions, you and I, would have been content to toil away our lives in servitude to the manor house but the din of their revelry has become too obtrusive.  Our masters no longer share our world but have created their own Edens from the blood and sweat of mankind.  We no longer work under contract but as indentured servants to the bloated 'captains of industry'.