The Left Right Paradigm is Over: Its You vs. Corporations (Barry Ritholtz)

[swag]

http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2010/09/you-vs-corporations/

Every generation or so, a major secular shift takes place that shakes up the existing paradigm. It happens in industry, finance, literature, sports, manufacturing, technology, entertainment, travel, communication, etc.

I would like to discuss the paradigm shift that is occurring in politics.

For a long time, American politics has been defined by a Left/Right dynamic. It was Liberals versus Conservatives on a variety of issues. Pro-Life versus Pro-Choice, Tax Cuts vs. More Spending, Pro-War vs Peaceniks, Environmental Protections vs. Economic Growth, Pro-Union vs. Union-Free, Gay Marriage vs. Family Values, School Choice vs. Public Schools, Regulation vs. Free Markets.

The new dynamic, however, has moved past the old Left Right paradigm. We now live in an era defined by increasing Corporate influence and authority over the individual. These two “interest groups” – I can barely suppress snorting derisively over that phrase – have been on a headlong collision course for decades, which came to a head with the financial collapse and bailouts. Where there is massive concentrations of wealth and influence, there will be abuse of power. The Individual has been supplanted in the political process nearly entirely by corporate money, legislative influence, campaign contributions, even free speech rights.

This may not be a brilliant insight, but it is surely an overlooked one. It is now an Individual vs. Corporate debate – and the Humans are losing.

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[WCGreen]

1. Increasing corporate and, lest e forget, religious influence....

sounds like Fascism to me.

It is us against them.

[L.Torsalo]

9. Apparently.

Us against them is back in vogue. * used it to effect, now we can too. The real problem is that we have allowed ourselves to be cornered and now we are left few options...what a surprise! Apathy has led us down this path. "I don't vote. It only encourages them" has produced monsters. The corps have bought and sold the entire political life of the USA.

[snot]

2. K&R'd. It's really any org interested in increasing its power -- or more accurately,

it's the invidividuals that control such orgs.

Corps., gummints, religions, et al.

[girl gone mad]

3. Ritholtz is on the money, as usual. n/t

[TBF]

4. Except on this website where it is still dem v. repub,

and any discussion of class warfare is frowned upon.

[avaistheone1]

5. + 1000

[GiveMeFreedom]

6. Barry is

a Johnny-come-lately to this knowledge. Oh well, better late than never.

[swag]

7. Not bad for a Wall Street guy.

[indepat]

8. Corporate personage is beating the living wiss out of human-kind, thanks to the felonious ones,

Congress-critters et al. ;)

[PoliticAverse]

10. Many corporations fund both Democrats and Republicans

with the bulk of their donations going to whichever party is currently in power or more
likely to be in power the next election.

[JohnWxy]

11. great post. tried to recommend, but was past 24 hrs. Recommended anyway!

[mix]

12. labor v. capital redux

the left right paradigm is more relevant than ever

[MisterP]

13. that IS l vs. r: labor vs. capital

note how corporatism increases as you go right, and decreases as you go left; hence, the libertarians who wail about the "outdated l/r paradigm" are on the right, since they never met a Koch or Blankenship whose leg they didn't start humping