Structure

“The Divide – American Justice in the Age of the Wealth Gap” by Matt Taibbi is comprised of nine very long chapters. The story of the causes for and the aftermath of the 2008 economic crisis is the focus of the book. The structure of this account is based on the juxtaposition of how those who headed the world’s top banks and caused the financial crises are treated by the government and law enforcement versus how the struggling poor and minorities are.

The story begins in a criminal courtroom where over a dozen employees of an obscure bank – Abacus in Chinatown in New York City – are being tried for committing fraud and other crimes during the 2008 financial crisis. The author compares the minor violations that these largely low level employees committed versus the egregious crimes that nearly destroyed the world economy. The Abacus employees were scapegoats and their...