The Velvet Rope Economy

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New York Times economic specialist Nelson D. Schwartz explores the "velvet ropes" that businesses - and, increasingly, public institutions - erect to separate haves from have-nots. The have-nots suffer long lines and shabby treatment. The haves get fast lanes of such improved circumstances that they don't notice or care about the dilapidation of services for everybody else. These socioeconomic fault lines isolate groups of people from one another - based on ability to pay - and fray the social cohesion that binds communities and creates broad support for their institutions.