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marmar

(76,945 posts)
Tue Jun 24, 2014, 12:10 PM Jun 2014

Trade Treaties and the Coming Rule of the Global Corporatocracy


By Don Quijones, freelance writer and translator in Barcelona, Spain. Raging Bull-Shit is his modest attempt to challenge the wishful thinking and scrub away the lathers of soft soap peddled by our political and business leaders and their loyal mainstream media. Originally published at Testosterone Pit.


Quietly, subtly, almost imperceptibly, the rules governing global trade and financial markets are changing. It is not happening by accident, but by wilful design. Despite the enormous impact it will have on all our lives, the public is not being consulted on any aspects of the process. Most people are not even aware it is happening.

The main driver of this change are the bilateral and multilateral trade and investment treaties being negotiated in complete secrecy and behind closed doors between corporate lobbyists, free trade activists and our own elected “representatives” (a term I use in the loosest possible sense, especially given the context). The ultimate goal of these treaties is to reconfigure the legal apparatus and superstructures that govern national, regional and global trade and business – for the primary, if not exclusive, benefit of the world’s largest multinational corporations.

Corporations have long been powerful economic and political entities, but in recent decades some have grown to dwarf even middling-sized national economies. According to a ranking published by Global Trends, 58 percent of the world’s biggest 150 economic entities in 2012 were corporations. They include oil, natural gas, and mining majors, banks and insurance firms, telecommunications giants, supermarket behemoths, car manufacturers, and pharmaceutical companies.

Changing the Law

Right now, the representatives of many of these firms are engaged in late-stage negotiations with the U.S. and European political leaders that would make it financially calamitous for a nation-state to take any actions against the interest of corporations. If passed — and at this rate, it almost certainly will be — it will be the biggest bilateral trade deal in the history of mankind. .................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2014/06/trade-treaties-coming-rule-global-corporatocracy.html



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Trade Treaties and the Coming Rule of the Global Corporatocracy (Original Post) marmar Jun 2014 OP
Did you ever foresee the day that Doctor_J Jun 2014 #1
Orwell did pscot Jun 2014 #2
so now what; embrace the change? kg4jxt Jun 2014 #3
A lot of people seem to be wondering pscot Jun 2014 #4
 

Doctor_J

(36,392 posts)
1. Did you ever foresee the day that
Tue Jun 24, 2014, 12:44 PM
Jun 2014

we (the great unwashed) would be completely defenseless against this kind of thing?

kg4jxt

(30 posts)
3. so now what; embrace the change?
Tue Jun 24, 2014, 10:10 PM
Jun 2014

I don't want to love Big Brother, but is it too late to fight back? Should I unplug and go hide? I already own some stocks - maybe since I am one of the "owners" the corporatocracy will take me in? LOL

I have always thought people can make change and by means of non-violent action - but I sometimes wonder if the time is running out.

pscot

(21,023 posts)
4. A lot of people seem to be wondering
Tue Jun 24, 2014, 10:35 PM
Jun 2014

along those lines. No matter who we vote for, we keep moving in the same direction. And the movement seems to be gaining momentum. Money is a big part of the problem. You can't have an honest election with all the money pouring through the system.

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