The End of Civilization As We Know It

After reading many articles regarding the fuel and food price increases, I am left to but one conclusion:  civilization is ending.  It's true.  People are becoming more and more uneasy with the problems of capitalism (i.e. exploitation of the common man).  I foresee a future where we will become primarily agrarian again.  I wouldn't be surprised to see some buildings knocked down in the next few years to provide land for subsistence farming.

Okay, I'm really only joking.  I don't foresee our existence becoming subsistence again.  I just have a problem with the oligarchic society we have set up for ourselves where we think we have the power of voting, but really, we've given that power to a few upper-class individuals.  Being what I would call a Christian socialist/Platonic Republican** (see Plato's Republic),  I have to say that I see where democracy and capitalism have failed quite a bit in America.  Now, I'm the first to admit that I don't have many answers at all, but I think we should start looking for new ones...

**NOTE:  The term "Christian socialist" implies here nothing more than authentic Christian community.  This ideal is based on the 1st Century church's example of non-exploitation and sharing all things.  Platonic Republicanism (denounced as inefficient by Plato himself) is a system of three classes:  Guardians (protectors of the community's ideals), Merchants, and Auxiliaries (public services such as police, firefighting, military, etc.).  Perhaps I am denouncing the American government, perhaps I'm just saying that if we want to call ourselves a democracy, we should vote like one.