"The attempt to blame the electoral insurgencies in the United States' two ruling parties on Russian interference, rather than massive social inequality - the worst in the industrialized world - is a desperate ploy. The courtiers in the corporate press are working feverishly day and night to distract us from reality..."
The Cost of Resistance - by Chris Hedges
Does it have to be only one or the other -- or can it be a bit of column a and a bit of column b.
I think the inequity is the driving cause certainly but it appears that the interference is an attempt to leverage it and increase it to the ends of the country interfering.
This is in the imperial playbook. The fact that Russia appears to be playing it against the US is angering US citizens since they normally like to be the one using the tactic against others rather than having it brought home to them.