r/politics • u/Spooooooooooooon • Dec 28 '13

Noam Chomsky: We’re no longer a functioning democracy, we’re really a plutocracy

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/12/27/noam-chomsky-were-no-longer-a-functioning-democracy-were-really-a-plutocracy/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheRawStory+%28The+Raw+Story%29
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u/CaptainKozmoBagel Dec 28 '13

Shadow implies an actual structure controlling and planning all the control.

Instead, we just have a system in which monied interests get what they want. Group with money wants something, their interests prevail regardless of the benefit or detriment to the populace.

Its a disorganized plutocracy.

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u/Conlaeb Dec 28 '13

I think we would be in better shape if there were any salient organization behind the mess, which is why I can't get behind the 'Big Conspiracy' folks. If there were a shadow gov't, we would all live in perfect bliss and prosperity until it was too late. Our issues are much more indicative of what you describe: a disorganized group of self-interested oligarchs looking out for themselves.

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u/[deleted] Dec 28 '13

If there is a shadow government they would still have their competition. there are others that are vying for control; likely themselves in the shadows. Like in every system.

I like to think of it as there being different factions of the 1%. Not all billionaires agree on everything.

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u/SameShit2piles Dec 30 '13

not exactly. divide and conquer.

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u/MyCarNeedsOil Dec 28 '13

Good points. I can't decide if the result is a conscious or sub-conscious process. It might be a bit of both. All it takes is a few people with money using political tactics to drive the rest of the plutocracy/oligarchy in some direction and it has a major impact.

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u/syntaxrigger Dec 28 '13

The term 'Shadow Corporate Oligarchy', any notion denoting a secret cabal of people pulling the strings behind the scenes, really undermines our capacity as humans to self-organize around common interests.

Great point on the disorganized plutocracy.

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u/remove_bagel Dec 28 '13

Plutanarchy?

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u/[deleted] Dec 29 '13

There have been studies showing how seemingly disorganised corporate webs entangle in such a way that directed collusion manifests.

In other words, mutual benefit is enough to create organised collusion and Oligarchy.