[miltondts]

"serious blind-spot though" Historically I think you are correct. The barbarians at the gates could topple any elite before this one.

However, I think there is an even bigger blind-spot in the general population: technology. We have a level of technology such that aggression and basic necessities can be quite easily produced with few people (drones, modern agriculture etc). They are not as dependent on us as previous elites. I think they know that when they fly to New Zealand they can keep all the refugees out quite easily, while maintaining a life with as much comfort as today.