Would've hit even if they'd pay workers better these days.
Though there's an argument (which I like) that the bubble wouldn't have been as big in the first place if there hadn't been as much capital slushing around relative to median incomes.
Unfortunately that would have benn incompatible with the fervent US worship of social Darwinism, which believes in the inalienable right of the banking industry to impoverish people, and then punish them for being poor.
... but in reality they face far greater challenges ...
I'm curious about the "they". Do you mean the power elite or the average citizens? In the end, might makes right. Nothing has changed since the caveman.