Let Them Eat Cake!

A few years ago, I heard about this reporter that interviewed random people on the street, asking their opinions of the Alpha Centauri food riots. Sadly I seem to be unable to find any references for the results, and could well just be imagining the whole idea, but it seems like a useful question to ask.

Which side is correct? Should they be rioting? Is their lack of food their own fault?

I tend to think that the overlords are being too heavy-handed, that the rioters are correct, that there isn't enough food for even one more person. And the upper-class population is expected to _double_ within the next year! Why should the farmers be expected to increase their production rates by 50% or so just to keep up, even if the land would support it? And what has the government actually done for the working class? Not once have they even bothered to settle a dispute, not once have they done an iota of work.

And why has the working class not increased over the last century? In fact, they have lost a full third of the population they had just ten years ago. There could be many reasons for this, their food rations being cut in half, requiring to spend twice as much time in jobs that are many times more difficult and dangerous. No, the working class is right to be upset, they are fully justified in thinking that they should be able to live better than the rest of the populace, the workers should get more than the bums that haven't ever done a thing for anyone else.

The upper class should be proud of their working class, should realize that without them, there would be nothing but a huge rock floating in space. Without the workers, there wouldn't be life. So they should celebrate their workers, should hold them in high regard.

End these riots! Let them eat cake!