4 ms·
This article is very rapidly visiting a bunch of ideas that are discussed in leftist circles. I don't think it does a very good job tying them together and it's
by DubiousPusher 6y ago
This article is very rapidly visiting a bunch of ideas that are discussed in leftist circles. I don't think it does a very good job tying them together and it's a very poor introduction to these ideas.
But it's not just nonsense. There is evidence of this theory working in international affairs. The idea is that there is an informal global government that functions largely by the control of federated groups. By and large these groups are corporate but they may also be governments, power blocks within national governments, NGOs and individuals. These groups manipulate international law to receive benefits and defer consequences. They are responsible directly for the structure many peoples way of life. They get laws made and unmade. They affect the fortunes and misfortunes of countries.
It is a kind of feudalism because the entities setting out the parameters of people's lives are powerful groups who are using international law and economic influence to circumvent local and democratic forms of control. So power is determined by am entity's wealth, existing influence and ability to accrue more wealth and influence. Rather than a Nobel elite there is a professional or plutocratic elite.
There isn't a grand conspiracy at work but rather lots of small coordinated efforts to enrich interests and accumulate influence.
It can sound crankish but there are definitely some disturbing examples that have surfaced and lend credibility. The case of Steven Donziger is a recent example. Interesting and kind of scary case to read up on.
A historic example is how for nearly 100 years despite that adminstrations come and go that U.S. foreign policy in South and Central America has consistently benefited American business. From raw imperialism at the turn of the century through 1940s "good neighbor" policies that benefited United Fruit through the Commie busting Reagan era. Strange how despite varying ideologies and international objectives American foreign policy redounds to the benefit of large companies that try to monopolize natural resources and oppose any laws that might keep economic power local to those countries.
Anyway, the whole theory might be crap but again I don't think it's complete nonsense. This is just a poor introduction.
- zozbot234 6y agoThat's just plain-old public choice playing out at an inter-governmental level, and not even a very "left wing" or conspiratorial idea. Any time you have the potential for concentrated interest groups benefiting at the expense of a widely-dispersed and perhaps poorly-informed public, you can expect that these opportunities will be pursued. Just ordinary corruption at work, "lots of small conspiracies" that are extremely hard to police effectively, and thus go unpoliced.
- DubiousPusher 6y agoThe basic principle is not leftist I suppose but the extent to which you believe this is a pathology of capitalism and how damning it is of international institutions like the world bank can be.
- deleted 6y ago[deleted]