Planet Money · Friday, September 25, 2026
The 'middlegarchy,' a group of wealthy private business owners, is actively using their influence to shape various consumer-facing industries. According to economist Eric W., this group's power extends to areas such as car sales, dental care, beer distribution, and even medical diagnoses.
“And how today, those middlegargs are wielding their power to shape how we buy cars. Who gets to whiten our teeth? Where we get our beer? Whether a nurse can diagnose us or it has to be a doctor.”
“And how the middlegargs also shape who pays what in taxes. Are they the protagonists of this story or the antagonists?”