The “Eat The Rich” Phenomenon

Written by: Lee Chin Yi (23-E4)

Designed by: Hannah Phua (23-O4)

In recent years, the buzz phrase “Eat the rich” has been commonly thrown around in the media. Upon first hearing it, one might be intimidated by its aggressive diction, leading to the phrase often being misused. So, what exactly does it mean? 

The origin of the slogan can be traced back to the French Revolution of 1789. Renowned French philosopher Jean Jacques Rousseau once said, “When people shall have nothing more to eat, they will eat the rich.” This poignantly illustrated how the famine was handled during the French Revolution. The rich were given huge amounts of food and resources, while the poor were left to fend for themselves. Eventually, the phrase “manger les riches” (“eat the rich”) was a common sentiment among the working class revolutionaries who felt that the wealthy elite was exploiting them. 

Fast forward to today, the provocative slogan has sparked off several social and political movements. In 2008, The Great Recession led to the failure of hundreds of banks, millions of homes going into foreclosure, and Americans losing over $14 trillion in net worth. In short, it was a result of greed and foul play. The reputations of corporations were tarnished, leading to the working class developing anti-capitalist sentiments. Over time, people began to establish the belief that capitalism was indeed, the villain. 

In the realm of pop culture, such sentiments have transformed into a demand for similar content. The creative industry operates on an idea-driven market. As Victor Hugo famously concluded, “No one can resist an idea whose time has come.” People crave content that they can relate to. With many viewers wanting to see the working class rise above whilst the entitled rich get their comeuppance, it is natural to see recent films focusing on these themes. 

Directed by Bong Joon Ho, the 2019 film Parasite took the world by storm when it became the first foreign language film to win Best Picture at the Oscars. Focusing on the class division in South Korea, this compelling production is about a poor family that slyly works their way up the social class ladder. By forging credentials and manipulating narratives, all the family members manage to infiltrate a rich family. Eventually, the film reveals that each family is the “parasite” of the other family. 

In the film, we see many instances where the poor tend to face issues that the rich never have to worry about. Parasite makes use of the ideology that elevation equals status – the rich live in a multi-level home, while the poor live in a basement. The vivid flooding sequence illustrates how the rich are unaffected by many of the debilitating circumstances that infect the lower classes, for they are quite literally, above the trouble. 

Another recent compelling satire is ‘The Menu’. The main character, Margot Mills, is a hired escort who travels to a remote island to dine at a high-end restaurant. The other characters – who are rich and entitled individuals – cause Margot to stand out. As the customers spend the night eating, stabbing, and witnessing crimes, they eventually come to the unsettling truth that they are the ones on the menu. Their shallow and spoiled behaviour ultimately leads them to their deaths, while Margot is given a chance to escape in the end.. 

So, what do these films have in common? To satisfy the desires of audiences, the creative industry meticulously crafted a narrative that ultimately showcases the working class “eating the rich”. The protagonist is poor. The antagonist is rich. The rich despise the poor. The poor come up with a plan to defeat the rich. The plan is masterfully executed. Justice is restored. It seems like this storyline has been recycled in many films that focus on income inequality. In today’s economic climate, this will likely not be going away anytime soon. 

In reality, “eating the rich” continues to be used by various groups as a symbol of their frustration with the economic and political systems that they feel are rigged against them. The income gap widening has always been a pressing issue. According to a 2020 report from Oxfam, the world's 2,153 billionaires have more wealth than the 4.6 billion people who make up 60% of the world's population. 

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos gained $23 billion in profit while over 40 million other people have lost their jobs. Discontented with the income distribution, many attempted to boycott Amazon. In November 2020, economist Yanis Varoufakis called for a one-day boycott of Amazon on Black Friday – the retail industry’s most profitable day of the year. However, as Amazon offers products at the lowest price and fastest possible delivery, it is the working class who relies on the express service, at the expense of their displeasure. 

Besides the working class, there have been celebrities expressing their views too. In 2021, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez attended the Met Gala, wearing a white gown with blood-red letters on the back reading: “TAX THE RICH’. The Met Gala is known to be one of the most extravagant events for society’s elite. 

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at the 2021 Met Gala.Source: Getty Images

In conclusion, the slogan “Eat The Rich” will probably be here to stay. It is important to note how this prevalent movement could impact our future. Some say that the redistribution of wealth could ultimately lead to the good of society, while others argue that it may stifle economic growth. However, one thing is certain – there is no one-size-fits-all solution to economic inequality.