I know firsthand what you are talking about. I have lived most of my adult life one bad break away from living on the street (with an M.A. in economics).

I have spent my adult life developing a better economic alternative: “A Truly Great Idea,” published in Data Driven Investor here in Medium. It borrows from democracy, but it is not about economic equality. Everyone would have enough, however—and it accomplishes that without redistributing anything.