3 ms·

The term "robber baron" sounds so impossibly dated it's hard to take it seriously, and "oligarch" seems to be the favored term for when people have corrupt busi

The term "robber baron" sounds so impossibly dated it's hard to take it seriously, and "oligarch" seems to be the favored term for when people have corrupt business relations in enemy states, so perhaps using "oligarch" is more illuminating for a modern audience.

readthenotes1 4y ago
It can be argued that the United States government is at war with its citizens...
- emodendroket 4y ago
  Oh, come on, you know what I mean. Russia or other places with unfavorable relationships with the West we hear about “oligarchs” regularly.
  - kevviiinn 4y ago
    Of course, because you're listening to American media owned by American oligarchs
wahnfrieden 4y ago
You have Andrew Carnegie to thank for expensive marketing campaigns that retired that term in popular usage and rebranding robber barony under the philanthropist label. Now we have robber barons that look like they're trying to be nice.
- emodendroket 4y ago
  “Captains of industry” also sounds faintly ridiculous for what it’s worth.
throwawaymaths 4y ago
It seems hard to call big us ceos oligarchs, I would find it hard to believe for example Sundar pichai interacts even say weekly with Joe Biden, if for no other reason that there are so many potentially "influential" CEOs in the US and (at least there is a perception) they generally have better things to do than try to influence the president.
- honkler 4y ago
  not sundar pichai, but someone like Larry fink is certainly an oligarch. He's also had access to the inner core of the establishment.
- edgyquant 4y ago
  Oligarch implies the government grants and helps enforce a monopoly to a single individual. There are few, if any, individuals in America that this can apply to. There’s definitely regulatory capture in the US, but oligarch is hyperbole and/or a lack of perspective. It tends to be people equating US billionaires with Russian ones who definitely do fit this definition.
- emodendroket 4y ago
  The specifics may differ but I do not agree that leaders of big business have "better things to do" than try to influence the President; a lot of time and money is spent on government influence operations.
  - throwawaymaths 4y ago
    > a lot of time and money is spent I guess on reflection my parent description is not quite right, but your comment brings up maybe the real distinction: if you were a true oligarch, you wouldn't have do that, you would just have government influence, or, at least have it 'quite easily' for some definition of easily.
    - UtopiaPunk 4y ago
      Spending lots of money counts as easy if you're ridiculously wealthy
      - throwawaymaths 4y ago
        It's not actually easy though. If someone airdropped you 100M and told you to spend it on some policy initiative, you, UtopiaPunk, would probably not be able to figure out how to move that money to a successful political end in DC.
eyelidlessness 4y ago
There are many synonyms for blasé corruption.

readthenotes1 4y ago

It can be argued that the United States government is at war with its citizens...

emodendroket 4y ago
Oh, come on, you know what I mean. Russia or other places with unfavorable relationships with the West we hear about “oligarchs” regularly.
- kevviiinn 4y ago
  Of course, because you're listening to American media owned by American oligarchs

wahnfrieden 4y ago

You have Andrew Carnegie to thank for expensive marketing campaigns that retired that term in popular usage and rebranding robber barony under the philanthropist label. Now we have robber barons that look like they're trying to be nice.

emodendroket 4y ago
“Captains of industry” also sounds faintly ridiculous for what it’s worth.

throwawaymaths 4y ago

It seems hard to call big us ceos oligarchs, I would find it hard to believe for example Sundar pichai interacts even say weekly with Joe Biden, if for no other reason that there are so many potentially "influential" CEOs in the US and (at least there is a perception) they generally have better things to do than try to influence the president.

honkler 4y ago
not sundar pichai, but someone like Larry fink is certainly an oligarch. He's also had access to the inner core of the establishment.
edgyquant 4y ago
Oligarch implies the government grants and helps enforce a monopoly to a single individual. There are few, if any, individuals in America that this can apply to. There’s definitely regulatory capture in the US, but oligarch is hyperbole and/or a lack of perspective. It tends to be people equating US billionaires with Russian ones who definitely do fit this definition.
emodendroket 4y ago
The specifics may differ but I do not agree that leaders of big business have "better things to do" than try to influence the President; a lot of time and money is spent on government influence operations.
- throwawaymaths 4y ago
  > a lot of time and money is spent I guess on reflection my parent description is not quite right, but your comment brings up maybe the real distinction: if you were a true oligarch, you wouldn't have do that, you would just have government influence, or, at least have it 'quite easily' for some definition of easily.
  - UtopiaPunk 4y ago
    Spending lots of money counts as easy if you're ridiculously wealthy
    - throwawaymaths 4y ago
      It's not actually easy though. If someone airdropped you 100M and told you to spend it on some policy initiative, you, UtopiaPunk, would probably not be able to figure out how to move that money to a successful political end in DC.

eyelidlessness 4y ago

There are many synonyms for blasé corruption.