The internet chassidus (perestroika)

Schenur Zalman of NY: Jewish history is cyclical. East Europe was marked by an alliance of wealthy Jews and the clerical class. The children of the wealthy studied in yeshivoth, had leisure time and gained Talmudic acumen. They then married into the rabbinic class and brought money into that class and YICHUS into the mercantile class. One reason Chassiduth in its initial incarnation (the first 3-4 generations) was successful and spread rapidly was a popular response to the oligarchy in control of Jewish life. The charedi community today has the same class structure. The rich and the rabbis protect each other and supply each other with what they lack money and YICHUS. The rest of us are at the mercy of this oligarchy. Democracy of any manner has yet to reach the Charedi world. A free press is unknown in that world. Thus the net and blogs like this one are very important in breaking this oligarchy. Perhaps the internet is to the Charedi world in 2006 what chassidus was in the 18th and 19th centuries.