demo:democracy

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demo:democracy [2025/12/17 19:32] – Simon Grantdemo:democracy [2026/03/26 18:33] (current) – external edit 127.0.0.1
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-# The democracy problem+This topic is part of [[gt:philosophy|Philosophy & politics]]. 
 +====== The democracy problem ======
  
  
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-## What is the ‘democracy problem’?+===== What is the ‘democracy problem’? =====
  
 The problem is that this system isn’t democratic. It delivers ultimate power to people who have never been elected, because wealth concentrates via giant banks and corporations, and then that concentrated wealth corrupts the political system. The problem is that this system isn’t democratic. It delivers ultimate power to people who have never been elected, because wealth concentrates via giant banks and corporations, and then that concentrated wealth corrupts the political system.
  
-### 1. How wealth concentrates+==== 1. How wealth concentrates ====
  
 Our communities are full of corporate branches – supermarkets, banks, chain restaurants etc., that suck money out to pay shareholders. The same thing happens with online corporate retailers. Our communities are full of corporate branches – supermarkets, banks, chain restaurants etc., that suck money out to pay shareholders. The same thing happens with online corporate retailers.
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 - If they fall on hard times, then ‘too-big-to-fail’ corporations – notably banks – are bailed out with our money. Not the case with small businesses. - If they fall on hard times, then ‘too-big-to-fail’ corporations – notably banks – are bailed out with our money. Not the case with small businesses.
 - Governments spend taxpayers’ money on high-speed rail, motorways and airports that disproportionately benefit national and multinational corporations rather than local businesses. - Governments spend taxpayers’ money on high-speed rail, motorways and airports that disproportionately benefit national and multinational corporations rather than local businesses.
-- It’s been shown many times that [mixed smallholdings are more productive than large-scale](/smho/smallholding) [monoculture](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/lowimpactlinks/linkssmallholding/#feed). But large-scale, industrial agriculture gets all the subsidies.+- It’s been shown many times that [mixed smallholdings are more productive](/smho/smallholding) than large-scale monoculture. But large-scale, industrial agriculture gets all the subsidies.
 - The state grants monopoly control of the money supply to corporate banks, along with the right to [create money from nothing, and to charge interest on it](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/why-the-banks-have-so-much-power-and-how-we-can-take-it-away-from-them/); and in return the banks buy government bonds to provide the funds they need to compete in the global game. - The state grants monopoly control of the money supply to corporate banks, along with the right to [create money from nothing, and to charge interest on it](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/why-the-banks-have-so-much-power-and-how-we-can-take-it-away-from-them/); and in return the banks buy government bonds to provide the funds they need to compete in the global game.
 - There are huge [subsidies for oil companies](https://www.eesi.org/papers/view/fact-sheet-fossil-fuel-subsidies-a-closer-look-at-tax-breaks-and-societal-costs) to find more fossil fuels; and no tax on aviation fuel or VAT on flights etc. - There are huge [subsidies for oil companies](https://www.eesi.org/papers/view/fact-sheet-fossil-fuel-subsidies-a-closer-look-at-tax-breaks-and-societal-costs) to find more fossil fuels; and no tax on aviation fuel or VAT on flights etc.
 - Giant states will always prefer giant corporations when it comes to government contracts. - Giant states will always prefer giant corporations when it comes to government contracts.
 - Spending on corporate weaponry hugely exceeds any ‘defence’ requirements. - Spending on corporate weaponry hugely exceeds any ‘defence’ requirements.
-- and [many more](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/infoarticle/40-ways-that-corporate-power-trumps-political-power/). 
  
 <WRAP center centeralign> <WRAP center centeralign>
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 Why do governments do this? Well….. Why do governments do this? Well…..
  
-### 2. How the political system is corrupted+==== 2. How the political system is corrupted ====
  
 The three main ways are: The three main ways are:
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-### 3. Why voting won't change this+==== 3. Why voting won't change this ====
  
 The removal of the constraints on the global movement of capital has created the conditions whereby states have to be very attentive to the needs of capital to ensure that it doesn’t move away from their country. The removal of the constraints on the global movement of capital has created the conditions whereby states have to be very attentive to the needs of capital to ensure that it doesn’t move away from their country.
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-## What are the consequences of the ‘democracy problem’?+===== What are the consequences of the ‘democracy problem’? =====
  
 The main consequence is that governments act on behalf of banks and corporations rather than ordinary people. The main consequence is that governments act on behalf of banks and corporations rather than ordinary people.
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 </WRAP> </WRAP>
  
-## What can I do?+===== What can I do? =====
  
 Instead of having wealth sucked out of communities, then attempting (and failing) to claw it back via taxation, and re-distributing it to communities, let’s build infrastructure that doesn’t allow it to be sucked out in the first place. Instead of having wealth sucked out of communities, then attempting (and failing) to claw it back via taxation, and re-distributing it to communities, let’s build infrastructure that doesn’t allow it to be sucked out in the first place.
  
 This is called ‘[community wealth building](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/the-case-for-community-wealth-building-review/)’, and is supported by a growing number of [local authorities](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/preston-model-frances-northrop-nef/). But it’s something that we can do ourselves, by not supporting the institutions that are responsible for the concentrated wealth. Instead, we can support businesses and institutions that keep wealth in our communities, and help to build a new economy, that doesn’t lend itself to political corruption. So…. This is called ‘[community wealth building](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/the-case-for-community-wealth-building-review/)’, and is supported by a growing number of [local authorities](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/preston-model-frances-northrop-nef/). But it’s something that we can do ourselves, by not supporting the institutions that are responsible for the concentrated wealth. Instead, we can support businesses and institutions that keep wealth in our communities, and help to build a new economy, that doesn’t lend itself to political corruption. So….
-### 1. Buy from non-corporate sources+==== 1. Buy from non-corporate sources ====
  
 We can’t continue to support banks and corporations if we want to solve the democracy problem. We can’t continue to support banks and corporations if we want to solve the democracy problem.
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 </WRAP> </WRAP>
  
-It might be difficult to avoid [Amazon](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/reasons-not-buy-amazon/), [Ü](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/beware-the-sharing-economy-back-door-for-a-more-rapacious-form-of-capitalism/)[ber](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/beware-the-sharing-economy-back-door-for-a-more-rapacious-form-of-capitalism/), Microsoft and the like, but really, that’s the most important first task. If they keep getting bigger, they’ll make it harder and harder to introduce alternatives in the future. We have to find those alternatives now – all of us.+It might be difficult to avoid [Amazon](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/reasons-not-buy-amazon/), [Uber](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/beware-the-sharing-economy-back-door-for-a-more-rapacious-form-of-capitalism/), Microsoft and the like, but really, that’s the most important first task. If they keep getting bigger, they’ll make it harder and harder to introduce alternatives in the future. We have to find those alternatives now – all of us.
  
 [This is a story](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/what-post-covid-communities-could-look-like-if-enough-of-us-want-it/) of how communities might operate in a democratic, non-corporate world. [This is a story](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/what-post-covid-communities-could-look-like-if-enough-of-us-want-it/) of how communities might operate in a democratic, non-corporate world.
  
-### 2. Leave the left vs right battle behind+==== 2. Leave the left vs right battle behind ====
  
 This is not a left-wing or a right-wing position. Those labels are irrelevant to this issue. It suits banks & corporations for the population to be split into left and right, battling each other rather than challenging them. It's not anti-American either - corporate power denies democracy to Americans just as it does everyone else; and it's not against the 'free market' - in fact corporate power makes a truly free market impossible. This is not a left-wing or a right-wing position. Those labels are irrelevant to this issue. It suits banks & corporations for the population to be split into left and right, battling each other rather than challenging them. It's not anti-American either - corporate power denies democracy to Americans just as it does everyone else; and it's not against the 'free market' - in fact corporate power makes a truly free market impossible.
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 As [David Harvey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Harvey) explains, Neoliberalism isn’t an ideology – it’s a project to concentrate power. And he locates that power in the state/bank nexus. He’s right – look what happened when it seemed that the neoliberal project was going to fall over in 2008/9. Many on the left and right said ‘let the banks die’. George Bush (obviously) had no idea what to do. It needed Ben Bernanke (Federal Reserve) and Hank Paulson (Treasury Secretary and ex-CEO of Goldman Sachs) – two men who have never been elected to anything - to step up and say ‘this is how it’s going to be - ordinary taxpayers all over the world are going to give their hard-earned money to bail out the banks’. And that’s exactly what happened. They rescued the neoliberal project, and no-one could stop them. Least of all presidents or prime ministers. As [David Harvey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Harvey) explains, Neoliberalism isn’t an ideology – it’s a project to concentrate power. And he locates that power in the state/bank nexus. He’s right – look what happened when it seemed that the neoliberal project was going to fall over in 2008/9. Many on the left and right said ‘let the banks die’. George Bush (obviously) had no idea what to do. It needed Ben Bernanke (Federal Reserve) and Hank Paulson (Treasury Secretary and ex-CEO of Goldman Sachs) – two men who have never been elected to anything - to step up and say ‘this is how it’s going to be - ordinary taxpayers all over the world are going to give their hard-earned money to bail out the banks’. And that’s exactly what happened. They rescued the neoliberal project, and no-one could stop them. Least of all presidents or prime ministers.
- +==== 3. learn more about it and talk to more people. ====
-### 3. learn more about it and talk to more people.+
  
 To be obsessed with party politcs is to be stuck in a realm of superficial change. To believe that the party political system can bring about the changes required, you also need to believe that we live in true ‘liberal democracies’ in the West, and that concentrated wealth has no influence in the political process. We’re not saying don’t vote, we’re saying that we have to join, support and consume from grassroots institutions in our communities right now, rather than relying on politicians to initiate change from above, which may be a long time coming, if at all. To be obsessed with party politcs is to be stuck in a realm of superficial change. To believe that the party political system can bring about the changes required, you also need to believe that we live in true ‘liberal democracies’ in the West, and that concentrated wealth has no influence in the political process. We’re not saying don’t vote, we’re saying that we have to join, support and consume from grassroots institutions in our communities right now, rather than relying on politicians to initiate change from above, which may be a long time coming, if at all.
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 Corporate tentacles reach your High Street (local branches), your homes (TV and internet advertising), your finances (mortgage and credit card debt) and your minds (branding). They suck money out of individuals and communities to ensure that they continue to have the most money (and therefore power). And they make you feel grateful for it, because 'they bring jobs and choice' (although small businesses provide more jobs, and the 'choice' they provide doesn't include real democracy). Corporate tentacles reach your High Street (local branches), your homes (TV and internet advertising), your finances (mortgage and credit card debt) and your minds (branding). They suck money out of individuals and communities to ensure that they continue to have the most money (and therefore power). And they make you feel grateful for it, because 'they bring jobs and choice' (although small businesses provide more jobs, and the 'choice' they provide doesn't include real democracy).
  
-We don’t believe that the necessary change can come through voting, or through overthrowing anything, but by ‘[transcending](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/transcender-manifesto-dil-green/)’ - building a [new economy](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/lowimpact-topic/new-economy/) from our [communities](/comy/community).+We don’t believe that the necessary change can come through voting, or through overthrowing anything, but by ‘[transcending](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/transcender-manifesto-dil-green/)’ - building a new economy from our [communities](/comy/community). 
 + 
 +===== Forum ===== 
 + 
 +This topic belongs to the section [[gt:philosophy|Philosophy & politics]]. You can ask questions or add information on the corresponding [Forum section](https://forum.growingthecommons.org/t/philosophy). 
 + 
 +===== Further resources ===== 
 + 
 +- [Center for Corporate Policy](http://www.corporatepolicy.org/) - working to curb corporate abuses and make corporations publicly accountable 
 +- [Center for Science in the Public Interest](https://www.cspi.org/) - monitoring corporate influence in science 
 +- [Corporate Europe Observatory](https://www.corporateeurope.org/en) - exposing the power of corporate lobbying in the EU 
 +- [Corporate Watch](https://corporatewatch.org/) - not-for-profit researching the social and environmental effects of corporate power 
 +- [CorpWatch](https://www.corpwatch.org/) - provide accurate, timely and easily accessible articles, reports and data on violations by multinational corporations to activists, media, the general public and policy makers 
 +- [Open Secrets](https://www.opensecrets.org/) - US site exposing money's influence on US elections and public policy 
 +- [Reclaim Democracy](https://reclaimdemocracy.org/) - resource for individual activists, groups, reporters, legislators, and the public 
 +- [Think Tank Watch](https://thinktank-watch.blogspot.com/) - informing about corporate think tanks  
 + 
 +===== Related topics ===== 
 + 
 +- [[coec:Commons economy]] 
 +- [[soci:Sociocracy]] 
 +- [[indy:Independent media]] 
 +- [[syst:System change]] 
 +- [[smal:Small|Small is beautiful]] 
 +- [[phil:Philosophy]]
  
-See also '[40 ways that corporate power trumps political power](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/infoarticle/40-ways-that-corporate-power-trumps-political-power/).' 
  
-## Further resources 
  
-## Specialist curators of this topic+===== Specialist curators of this topic =====
  
  
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  • Last modified: 2025/12/17 19:32
  • by Simon Grant