There was once a flock of Sheep that came under the care of a Sheepdog.
        "You have to give me all your wool," said the Sheepdog.
        "Why should we do that?" asked the Sheep.
        "Because I take care of you," said the Sheepdog.  "You give me your wool, and I protect you.  As your representative, I will use the wool for the common good.  It's called a 'social contract.'  Don't worry.  It's a painless transaction.  I'll just start from the back and pull the wool right over your eyes.  You won't notice a thing."
        The Sheep thought about the social contract thing, and it made a certain amount of sense, so they gave the Sheepdog their wool.  Before long, they noticed that the Sheepdog was palling around with some very obese Cats.
        "What's with those Cats?" asked the Sheep.
        "Oh, nothing much," said the Sheepdog.  "Those are the Fat Cats.  They bring a lot of business into the area, so it's a good idea to be friendly with them."
        "Oh, ok," said the Sheep.  "Just curious."
        Before long, the cold weather started settling in, and the Sheep started getting cold.
        "Sheepdog," they said.  "We're cold."
        "How is that my problem?" asked the Sheepdog.
        "Well, we thought you were supposed to take care of us," replied the Sheep.
        "I keep the Wolves away," said the Sheepdog.  "Cold isn't my problem."
        "How about giving us back some of that wool we gave you?" suggested the Sheep.  "You know, common good and social contract and all that?"
        "Oh, no," said the Sheepdog.  "It doesn't work that way.  You give me the wool, and I give it to the Fat Cats.  They invest in our area, the area prospers, you get wealthy enough to buy sweaters, and everything works out for the best.  But you don't have any right to warmth."
        "So, what are we supposed to do?" bleated the Sheep.
        "Go to work for the Fat Cats," said the Sheepdog.  "They might give you a wool package."
        "Let's get this straight," said the Sheep.  "We give you our wool to use for the common good, you give it to the Fat Cats, and when we get cold, we have to go to work for the Fat Cats to get some of it back."
        "Yep, that's right," said the Sheepdog.
        "Just checking," said the Sheep.
        So, the Sheep went to the Fat Cats and applied for jobs.  Some were hired, and some weren't.  The ones who were hired indeed received excellent wool packages.  Of course, they had to work their mutton chops off, but at least they were well provided for.
        "Hey," said the Sheep to the Sheepdog, "guess you were right.  Sort of.  Some of us are doing pretty well working for the Fat Cats, but others have kind of been left out in the cold."
        "And what fine, upstanding citizens you Working Sheep are!" said the Sheepdog.  "Not like those lazy, good for nothing Welfare Sheep."
        The Working Sheep decided that the Sheepdog was right.  "We work our rumps off for our wool benefits.  We're a lot better than those other Sheep!"
        "And those of you who work for the Obscenely Obese Cats are the best of all!" said the Sheepdog.  "You get more wool than all the others!"
        "That's true," said the Sheep who worked for the Obscenely Obese Cats.  "We are better!"

        The Working Sheep labored on for some time, while the Welfare Sheep shivered and starved.  Sometimes they changed places.  Then, one day, the Fat Cats called the Working Sheep into a meeting.
        "We're moving our operations to South America," said the Fat Cats.  "You're all fired."
        "What?" bleated the Working Sheep.  "But we're the backbone of your companies!"
        "Yeah, yeah," said the Fat Cats, "but you're too expensive.  We found some really cheap Alpacas."

        So, the ex-Working Sheep went to the Sheepdog.
        "Hey," they complained, "your Fat Cats that were supposed to take care of us have split for South America.  So, at least, you can give us back some of our wool, since they aren't stimulating the local economy."
        "No way!" barked the indignant Sheepdog.  "We still have a social contract!  You have to give me your wool, and I don't have to give any back!  Besides, if you don't pay up, I'll introduce you to my Doberman and Rottweiler buds.  Anyway, I still have to pay off the Fat Cats.  We're paying for their factory in South America."
        "Wha-a-at?" baaed the Sheep.  "Why are you, we mean 'we,' doing that?  We thought the rationale was that you gave them wool, and they brought business in.  Well, now they're taking business out."
        "No no no no no," insisted the Sheepdog.  "You have to look at things from a global perspective.  The Fat Cats are stimulating the global economy.  That's good for everybody!"
        "It doesn't seem to be doing us any good," the Out-of-Work Sheep pointed out.
        "It's all your fault!" countered the Sheepdog.
        "Our fault?" bleated the Sheep.  "How can it be our fault?"
        "You aren't buying enough," scolded the Sheepdog.  "How can the Fat Cats do their good deeds when you aren't buying their goods?  Buy those Alpaca sweaters!"