The crowning of King Charles III was a captivating, antiquated spectacle. It was literally a throwback to a bygone age. Yet the ermine and the jewels, the crowns and scepters contain a caution. Democracy thrives on opportunity, on a broad middle class, not a ruling elite with massive, accumulated fortunes and lands. America’s democracy thrived by distributing the land, making public education available to all, and extending the right to vote. When wealth got too concentrated, we taxed the rich and invested in what made the country strong. Now, wealth is once more concentrated. Big money dominates elections; corruption undermines our institutions from the Supreme Court to the local city councils. Let’s enjoy the ceremony of the British Crown, but let’s act to ensure that America does not descend into a new feudalism where money rules, and people suffer.