2012–2013: Suppression and Fragmentation of Occupy
Police crackdowns dismantled Occupy encampments in late 2011–2012.
The movement lacked centralized leadership or concrete demands, making it easier to disperse.
Wall Street largely weathered the storm with no major reforms to banking power.
Result: Class anger was real, but not institutionalized.
2013–2014: Shift in Media & Cultural Discourse
Media coverage of bankers, bailouts, inequality dropped sharply (as shown in your image).
Coverage of race, identity, and culture war topics increased, coinciding with events like Trayvon Martin (2013) and Ferguson (2014).
Elites and corporations began sponsoring identity-based campaigns (e.g., diversity initiatives, branding around social justice).
Class critique was sidelined; identity became the dominant lens.
2014–2016: Return of Financial Power
Dodd–Frank reforms (passed in 2010) were already being watered down by lobbying.
Too-big-to-fail banks grew even larger due to consolidation.
Stock markets surged with quantitative easing and low interest rates, massively enriching asset holders.
Private equity and hedge funds expanded into housing, buying foreclosed homes and creating today’s rental crisis.
Finance reasserted dominance, with public anger dissipated.
Timeline: Post-2012 Survival of the Financial Elite
