Mechele Dickerson on Why the Middle Class Was Built—and How It’s Being Broken

The middle class in America didn’t just happen—it was built through government policies after World War II. In this episode, law professor Mechele Dickerson explains how things like affordable housing, stable jobs, and access to education helped create a strong middle class—and why those same supports have weakened over time.

She breaks down why it’s harder today to afford basic things like housing, college, and healthcare, even for people who are working hard. The conversation shows how education, jobs, debt, and housing are all connected. When one becomes unaffordable, it affects everything else.

Dickerson also explains why common ideas like “just work harder” or “cut spending” don’t match the reality many people are facing today. Wages have stayed mostly flat while costs have gone up, and many jobs no longer offer the stability or benefits they used to.

The episode also looks at bigger economic ideas like trickle-down economics and why those policies haven’t helped most middle-class families. Instead, wealth has increasingly moved to the top while more people struggle to stay financially stable.

This conversation focuses on what’s actually happening to the middle class in America, why it matters, and what kinds of policy changes could help rebuild economic stability for everyday people.

Buy The MiddleClass New DealRestoring Upward Mobility and the American Dream

Guest Bio

Mechele Dickerson is a law professor at the University of Texas whose work focuses on housing, consumer finance, and economic justice. Her research examines how financial systems shape everyday life, especially for families navigating homeownership, debt, and economic instability. She is the author of The Middle Class New Deal, which explores how policy decisions built—and are now reshaping—the American middle class.