Who rules the world?

[exchemist]

That's not what the paper says.

I'm going by what the abstract says, not having access to the whole thing. The abstract limits itself to these two specific features of the economic system.

 

[Yerda]

@exchemist You cab click through on the pdf to get the full paper.

We've known for a while that the giant finance groups have a tight grip over the corporate world but this study describes the network and enumerates the degree of control. I get that isn't "Ruling The World" in everyone's book but when we know that they can bring down governments (or even more easily make sure they're never elected) at a whim it's maybe not unreasonable to suggest they're the closest thing to rulers of the world.

In any case, it's a fascinating paper.

 

[exchemist]

@exchemist You cab click through on the pdf to get the full paper.

We've known for a while that the giant finance groups have a tight grip over the corporate world but this study describes the network and enumerates the degree of control. I get that isn't "Ruling The World" in everyone's book but when we know that they can bring down governments (or even more easily make sure they're never elected) at a whim it's maybe not unreasonable to suggest they're the closest thing to rulers of the world.

In any case, it's a fascinating paper.

What you mean is that the corporate world can influence governments. This is not in doubt. If you include the banks then, sure, they can effectively bring down governments - generally when these governments indulge in gross financial mismanagement.

But it is a million miles from "ruling the world". Ruling the world would mean being able to issue orders on a vast range of subjects affecting the life of citizens and having them carried out. The corporate world has a certain, fairly narrow, range of concerns, to do with the profitability of their enterprises and returns to shareholders. They have no interest in "ruling the world".

Furthermore there is no entity to supervise or direct the corporate world in any particular direction. You have a network of companies that in practice turn out to have largely aligned interests. But there is no guiding hand, other than the economics of running large businesses. Nobody tells Xi or Putin or Biden how to run their countries.

P.S. I have just seen that global agreement has been reached on a minimum level of corporate taxation, now that Ireland has finally joined the party. This is not rule by corporations, but a limit of the freedom to act of those corporations. If they "ruled the world", we would not have this tax initiative.

 

[Yerda]

What you mean is that the corporate world can influence governments. This is not in doubt. If you include the banks then, sure, they can effectively bring down governments - generally when these governments indulge in gross financial mismanagement.

But it is a million miles from "ruling the world". Ruling the world would mean being able to issue orders on a vast range of subjects affecting the life of citizens and having them carried out. The corporate world has a certain, fairly narrow, range of concerns, to do with the profitability of their enterprises and returns to shareholders. They have no interest in "ruling the world".

Furthermore there is no entity to supervise or direct the corporate world in any particular direction. You have a network of companies that in practice turn out to have largely aligned interests. But there is no guiding hand, other than the economics of running large businesses. Nobody tells Xi or Putin or Biden how to run their countries.

P.S. I have just seen that global agreement has been reached on a minimum level of corporate taxation, now that Ireland has finally joined the party. This is not rule by corporations, but a limit of the freedom to act of those corporations. If they "ruled the world", we would not have this tax initiative.

Ok, if we're being precise no one entity rules the world. Insofar as anyone can exhibit control over global affairs the network that has controlling interest in the majority of transnational companies does.

 

[metis]

Question: Who do you think rules the world? And why do you think that?

Certainly no intelligent life forms.

 

[Stevicus]

Master Blaster rules the world.

 

[Moonjuice]

Money and those who have the most of it, unfortunately rule the world.

I'm basing my opinion on how the US government actually functions. If you want to be rich and you are not already rich, get elected to congress or the senate and you will be. Nearly everyone are millionaires or billionaires, supposedly representing people who's median annual household income is $79,900.

Rich people make all the rules. As expected, they will make sure the rules made coincide with their best interests. Rich people take care of rich people first. In this country, they make sure the rest of us are busy arguing about abortion, gay marriage, gun rights, vaccines or no vaccines etc. so we ignore the fact that we are being ruled. We all pay taxes at much higher rates than the wealthy, which allows them to increase their wealth at much higher rates than the average middle class American. The richer they are, the easier it is to force elected officials to do their bidding. This is what lobbyists do -convince elected officials to support the wants and desires of the wealthy.

Not sure how this applies to the rest of the world, but I think its safe to assume that the same ideology applies everywhere.

 

[metis]

Money and those who have the most of it, unfortunately rule the world.

I wish I could disagree with you.

As a case in point, Trump has insisted that congressional subpeonas should be ignored because of "executive privilege", which doesn't apply to a president who's out of office. But because he has the money to fight any court decision through the appeals process, the estimate is that it would take a year and a half to two years to get a final decision, which would be longer then the committee has. Now, if you and I go rob a 7-11, do you think this could be stretched that far?

So much for the lunacy that our judicial system is "blind" to such differences, as there's a HUGE difference with those whom have lotsa money and power versus us peons.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Question: Who do you think rules the world? And why do you think that?

The wealthy.

I know that because money buys power and influence.

 

[We Never Know]

Question: Who do you think rules the world? And why do you think that?

Its not a matter if who but what. That what is $$money.

 

[Heyo]

Question: Who do you think rules the world? And why do you think that?

The Illuminati, an international cabal of banksters, secret service, media people and politicians who meet frequently in Bohemian Grove, Davos and the Bilderberg hotel.

Just kidding. There doesn't need to be a sinister conspiracy. It all flows from the mechanics of money and power naturally.

It's really the Lizard people!

 

[Kooky]

Nobody.

People keep coming up with elaborate conspiracy theories, to obscure this terrible fact:
Nobody knows what they're doing, and nobody is in control.

 

[Yerda]

Nobody.

People keep coming up with elaborate conspiracy theories, to obscure this terrible fact:
Nobody knows what they're doing, and nobody is in control.

Reminds me of a phrase I enountered a few years ago: Almost no one is evil; almost everything is broken.