my interest in Plato and idealism is to do with this. the modern view of things, expounded by the likes of Bertrand Russel and Karl Popper views things in purely mechanistic material terms and is hostile to anything metaphysically ideal or spiritual. this is the view that dominates the academy and media. it's a modern incarnation of the old Atomist/Epicurean school. rule by merchants cannot accept any higher values since it might impose an order that prevents their ability to accrue profit and more material. defeating merchant rule entails a philosophical return to idealism, ironically similar to Hegel which was the point Marx started from.