Billionaires aka New Monarchies Are Turning the Clock Back to the Dark Ages

Dave Hart February 17, 2024

If we analyze the conflicts around the world, a common pattern emerges. It is not a conflict between countries or races or civilizations. It is not an east west conflict, nor is it a north south conflict, even though on the surface it may look like any of these. 

The powerful and aggressive, yet responsible Soviet leadership has been replaced by an oligarch who sees Europe as his private board game, and the devastation and destruction of thousands and thousands of innocent men women and children bother him as much as some explosions on a Roblox game would bother a ten year old. 

On the other side of the pond is a billionaire who not satisfied with the mountains of money at his disposal plays some bizarre form or Roulette (substitute entire countries for human heads) and he performs his version of eenie meenie mo with his private network of satellites encompassing the earth. What is preventing responsible, publicly owned companies from the EU or any other countries for that matter from using public money to create a similar, earth encompassing satellite network hugely profitable  and would generate immense funds for healthcare and education and yet would be benevolent and protect the interests of the human race as opposed to providing a gigantic board game of sorts for a billionaire's amusement? 

The reason is that we are giving into delusional and destructive arguments that publicly owned assets, enterprises and resources are the enemy of 'freedom'. A public that owns only a legislature house filled with brawling clowns is a slave public. For the public to have any meaningful power in the country, the pubic, the general population must own massive income generating companies that control critical parts of the country. The army is one such institution that must stay publicly owned. But that is not enough. Critical entities that can affect the existance or nonexistance of the people must be publicly owned. Satellite networks and Energy supplies are two critically important areas where the existence of private companies must not prevent the formation of powerful publicly owned companies that will generate all the income that is needed to cover critical services such as health and education for the next thousand years.

There is no real difference between an all-owning Communist Party and an all-owning Billionaire. Both are totalitarian systems, where millions of people and their political organizations and leaders, hundreds of countries and thousands of medium and small businesses, all wither into insignificance. To pretent that one is dictatorship and the other is democracy is delusional. It is far worse than the visible dictatorships or even the old corrosive monarchies that devastated humanity for centuries. This is because the power of the billionaire unlike the power of the monarch reaches into and alters and renders impotent all those protective institutions. Witness the so called legislators in certain countries grovelling at the feet of laughing billionaires, begging for election money.It would be more economical and ecological to allow the billionaires to directly appoint the legislators of their choice, rather than the charade of elections, fully funded, and thus controlled by billionaires.

The world is in the grip of billionaires, and many feel helpless to resist their power and influence. With vast amounts of wealth and resources at their disposal, these individuals and their corporations often seem to wield more control and authority than governments and international organizations. As a result, concerns have been raised about the impact of this growing concentration of economic power on social, political, and environmental issues.

One of the most pressing issues is income inequality, which has widened significantly in recent years. The wealth of billionaires continues to soar while many people struggle to make ends meet, leading to social tensions and discontent. Additionally, the influence of billionaires on political processes, through lobbying, campaign contributions, and media ownership, has raised questions about the fairness and integrity of democratic systems. This has led to debates around campaign finance reform and the influence of money in politics.

Furthermore, the environmental impact of billionaire-controlled corporations has come under scrutiny. Many of these companies are major contributors to climate change and environmental degradation, often pursuing short-term profits at the expense of long-term sustainability. In some cases, the immense wealth of billionaires has enabled them to bypass environmental regulations and continue activities that harm the planet.

The concentration of economic power in the hands of a small number of individuals and corporations has also raised concerns about competition and innovation. Some argue that monopolistic practices and anti-competitive behavior stifle entrepreneurship and limit consumer choice, ultimately harming economic growth and development.

Amid these challenges, there have been increasing calls for measures to rein in the power of billionaires and ensure a more equitable distribution of wealth and influence. Proposals such as wealth taxation, antitrust regulations, and campaign finance reform have been put forward as potential solutions to address these issues.

Despite the daunting nature of the situation, efforts are underway to address the influence of billionaires and their corporations. Civil society organizations, activists, and policymakers are working to promote transparency, accountability, and ethical business practices. Moreover, public awareness and engagement are crucial in holding billionaires and corporations accountable for their actions and decisions.

Ultimately, addressing the grip of billionaires on the world requires a comprehensive and multi-faceted approach that involves a combination of policy changes, corporate responsibility, and active civic participation. By working together to challenge the inequities created by concentrated economic power, there is hope for a more just and equitable world for all.