Phantom Democracy: Corporate Interests And Political Power In America
by Carl Boggs /
2011 / English / PDF
2.8 MB Download
In a powerful new book, Boggs traces the historical evolution
of American politics by focusing on the gradual triumph of
corporate and military power over democratic institutions and
practices. The consequences of expanding United States global
presence since World War II--involving an integrated and
interwoven system of power based in the permanent war economy,
national security-state, and corporate interests--has meant
erosion of democratic politics, strengthening of the imperial
presidency, increased corporate and military influence over
elections and legislation, weakening of popular governance, and
diminution of citizenship. The events of 9/11 and their
aftermath, including the War on Terror, two lengthy wars and
foreign occupations, new threats of war, and massive increases
in Pentagon spending, have only deepened the trend toward
ever-more concentrated forms of power in a society that
ostensibly embraces democratic values. Such developments, Boggs
argues, have deep origins in American history going back to the
founding documents, ideological precepts of the Constitution,
early oligarchic rule, slavery, the Indian wars, and westward
colonial expansion.
In a powerful new book, Boggs traces the historical evolution
of American politics by focusing on the gradual triumph of
corporate and military power over democratic institutions and
practices. The consequences of expanding United States global
presence since World War II--involving an integrated and
interwoven system of power based in the permanent war economy,
national security-state, and corporate interests--has meant
erosion of democratic politics, strengthening of the imperial
presidency, increased corporate and military influence over
elections and legislation, weakening of popular governance, and
diminution of citizenship. The events of 9/11 and their
aftermath, including the War on Terror, two lengthy wars and
foreign occupations, new threats of war, and massive increases
in Pentagon spending, have only deepened the trend toward
ever-more concentrated forms of power in a society that
ostensibly embraces democratic values. Such developments, Boggs
argues, have deep origins in American history going back to the
founding documents, ideological precepts of the Constitution,
early oligarchic rule, slavery, the Indian wars, and westward
colonial expansion.
