I hate to say it,,,,
the middle class is greedy and lazy, has an inflated opinion of itself and is easily influenced by foreign propaganda or domestic demagoguery. When things don't go their way they are quick to go after scapegoats or embrace any con man that comes their way. They have also convinced themselves that they and they alone can take credit for their successes, but that other classes, races, creeds or nations must therefore be the cause of their failures.
When people like Trump or Putin see this, they know exactly how to exploit it.