Classism in Elderling society? (spoilers RotE books incl Blood of Dragons)

[Albertosaurus Rex]

Why did it fall so completely? I suspect that the Elderlings may have been largely dependent on the dragons for their magic. The Fool theorises in Fool's Fate that the Skill may have grown out of the link between Elderlings and dragons, if I remember correctly. And maybe that disaster, which I see no reason to doubt was in fact natural, was simply that devastating. According to Tintaglia in Ship of Destiny, the whole geography had changed. Unless something really catastrophic happens, that would take millions of years, and I don't think the Elderlings lived that long ago.

EDIT: Why do I only ever catch spelling mistakes after making the post? Grrrr.