"There isn't much discussion of ruling class in America even in Boston, probably one of the most class-conscious cities in the country?"

The observation from Iris Chang highlights a noteworthy aspect of American society: the general reluctance to openly discuss or acknowledge the presence and influence of a ruling class. Despite the United States’ pronounced commitment to ideals of equality and meritocracy, significant divisions persist, shaped by wealth, social status, and access to power. In her reference to Boston, a city steeped in history and long regarded as one of America’s most class-conscious urban landscapes, Chang notes that even the most aware and historically stratified communities tend to shy away from candid conversations about the reality of social hierarchies.

This aversion is rooted partly in the American narrative of self-made success. The country’s cultural imagination venerates the notion that anyone, regardless of origin, can ascend to the highest rungs of society. As a result, direct acknowledgment of a ruling class is often perceived as contrary to these cherished ideals. To confront the existence of entrenched elites who wield outsized economic, political, and cultural power is to suggest that individual effort alone may not suffice, a notion many find uncomfortable.

Boston, with its storied legacy of Brahmin families, exclusive social clubs, and an enduring legacy of educational and cultural privilege, offers fertile ground for the examination of class structure. Yet even here, open discussion of ruling elites remains muted. Instead, class divisions are more likely to be described obliquely, through references to neighborhoods, schools, or inherited last names, than through direct acknowledgment of power differentials.

Such silence has consequences. It can obscure the real mechanisms by which privilege is reproduced and render invisible the barriers faced by those outside elite circles. Chang’s insight suggests that genuine understanding of American inequality requires moving beyond individual achievement narratives to confront the lasting impact of class. Only through more open discussion can American society begin to grapple with the enduring influence of its ruling class.