Superclass: The Global Power Elite

[wawaweewa]

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[size=+2]They Rule the World[/size]
A shadowy organization is in power, and it's made up of the very, very rich.

[size=-1]By Reviewed by Anne-Marie Slaughter
Sunday, May 25, 2008; BW02
[/size]

SUPERCLASS

The Global Power Elite and the World They Are Making

By David Rothkopf

Farrar Straus and Giroux. 376 pp. $26

Go to www.theyrule.net. A white page appears with a deliberately shadowy image of a boardroom table and chairs. Sentences materialize: "They sit on the

boards of the largest companies in America." "Many sit on government committees." "They make decisions that affect our lives." Finally, "They rule." The site allows visitors to trace the connections between individuals who serve on the boards of top corporations, universities, think thanks, foundations and other elite institutions. Created by the presumably pseudonymous Josh On, "They Rule" can be dismissed as classic conspiracy theory. Or it can be viewed, along with David Rothkopf's Superclass, as a map of how the world really works.

In Superclass, Rothkopf, a former managing director of Kissinger Associates and an international trade official in the Clinton Administration, has identified roughly 6,000 individuals who have "the ability to regularly influence the lives of millions of people in multiple countries worldwide." They are the "superclass" of the 21st century, spreading across borders in an ever thickening web, with a growing allegiance, Rothkopf argues, to each other rather than to any particular nation.

Rothkopf's archetypal member of the superclass is Blackstone Group executive Stephen Schwarzman, who is not only fabulously wealthy, but also chairman of the Kennedy Center, a board member of the New York Public Library, the New York City Ballet, the Film Society of Lincoln Center and the New York City Partnership. These boards, along with the over 100 businesses Blackstone has invested in, the other business councils and advisory boards he sits on, and his Yale and Harvard education, mean that Schwarzman is only one or two affiliations away from any center of power in the world. Rothkopf actually traces the "daisy chain" of Schwarzman's connections through his board memberships -- linking him to Ratan Tata, one of India's richest men, former Mexican president Ernesto Zedillo and many others. It is these links that create access that translates to influence and determines how the levers of power are pulled.

Fame alone doesn't get you into the global power elite: Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes are out while Angelina Jolie and Bono are in. High office is generally enough for politicians and even their spouses, but membership in the superclass can be fleeting -- Mikhail Gorbachev and Cherie Blair are now out, while Henry Kissinger and Bill Clinton are still in. Rothkopf harps on the Pareto principle of distribution, or the "80/20 rule," whereby 20 percent of the causes of anything are responsible for 80 percent of the consequences. That means 20 percent of the money-makers make 80 percent of the money and 20 percent of the politicians make 80 percent of the important decisions. That 20 percent belongs to the superclass.

On closer inspection, however, Rothkopf has no actual methodology for determining who is in and who is out. Each chapter identifies individuals who are said to count in a field, conclusions backed up by trendspotting and anecdotes about Rothkopf's encounters at Davos and New York dinner parties that make the reader feel vaguely voyeuristic. When Rothkopf ventures away from his core expertise in politics and finance, and into such subjects as asymmetrical warfare, mega-churches and freemasonry, the pastiche-like quality of his research becomes evident.

Still, Superclass is often thought-provoking. For one thing, it is as much about who is not part of the superclass as who is. As I read Rothkopf's chronicles of elite gatherings -- Davos, Bilderberg, the Bohemian Grove (all male), Fathers and Sons (all male) -- I was repeatedly struck by the near absence of women. Fortune magazine's annual Most Powerful Women Summit, the only elite gathering I know of that is restricted to women, didn't even rate a mention. And indeed, when Rothkopf summarizes "how to become a member of the superclass," his first rule is "be born a man." Only 6 percent of the superclass is female.

Superclass is written in part as a consciousness-raising exercise for members of the superclass themselves. Rothkopf worries that "the world they are making" is deeply unequal and ultimately unstable. He hopes that the current global elite will use their power to do more than egg each other on to high-profile philanthropy. Elites in radically unequal countries such as Chile, for instance, might decide to open their cozy circles of power to allow the emergence of a genuine middle class. New York bankers might realize that they can no longer peddle loans to developing countries in good times but then pressure the U.S. Treasury and the International Monetary Fund to bail out those same governments when they suddenly default on their debts (ensuring, of course, that the bankers get paid). The agribusinesses that reap billions from domestic subsidies in developed countries might consider the longer-term value of trade rather than aid for countries at the bottom of the global food chain.

Perhaps. But it's likely to take more than exhortation. In the words of former Navy Secretary John Lehman, "Power corrupts. Absolute power is kind of neat." Why would the superclass want to give it up?·

Anne-Marie Slaughter is dean of the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton and author of "The Idea That Is America: Keeping Faith with Our Values in a Dangerous World."

 

[wawaweewa]

Originally Posted by Barack 0drama

I don't need much convincing...I've been following this on my own since 2001, And I've done enough research to be able to comfortably say that I believe in this type of thing.

I tend not to post on NT because most of these dudes have ADD and only care about fapping to nudes and what Jordans they're gonna buy next.

People need to educate themselves.

Same here. It's worth a shot though. Even if a few people read it that's fine with me.

That's a few more who will get curious, start researching, and start to see the real reality. Not the fantasy world that most people live in.

 

[18th letter]

Illuminati wants my mind, soul, and my body
Secret Society, trying to keep their eye on me

 

[finnns2003]

ah yes, the ruling elite. the people who most americans are oblivious to. these people have so much pull, so much power

 

[wawaweewa]

Originally Posted by 18th letter

Illuminati wants my mind, soul, and my body
Secret Society, trying to keep their eye on me

It doesn't have much to do with the supposed "illuminati" or any secret society.

There's nothing secret about the membership lists of think tanks, Corporate Boards, and Corporate executives.

 

[wawaweewa]

Originally Posted by Barack 0drama

Even if a few people read it that's fine with me.

That's a few more who will get curious, start researching, and start to see the real reality. Not the fantasy world that most people live in.

Yea...One person at a time.

Maybe people will be more likely to read it because it's from the Washington Post...

That's exactly why I posted. I don't even bother posting from non mainstream news sources.

Most just laugh it off without even reading the information. It's a non starter even from the beginning.


Sigmund Freud and Edwin Bernays would be amazed at how there techniques were able to succeed on the American populace.

Joseph Goebells would be envious as all hell at hos easily our society is manipulated.

 

[finnns2003]

Originally Posted by Barack 0drama

ah yes, the ruling elite. the people who most americans are oblivious to. these people have so much pull, so much power

Yes...Word to your avy and MGS2.


ah yes, the patriots

 

[cabron james 23]

Barack Odrama, why are you so supportive of Barack Obama? Or you joking? It seems you are well informed as to who runs the world. Don'tyou realize Obama is just another puppet?

 

[User 37837]

Would the chapter/group from America be the Neo-Cons?

 

[kavinsky]

I read and enjoy these sorts of posts ftw.

 

[lilpro4u]

Does being Jewish have anything to do w/ this?

 

[jordanxi45]

^ Probably.

 

[kevenmayne]

this came to mind

 

[joseph camel jr]

I hate how this is presented as some sort of shocking revelation that uncovers a global conspiracy.

No, idiots. Billionaires who are investors in some of the world's most powerful companies have a lot of power.

You really didn't know that? You need a book to tell you that?

 

[nyvictory45]

It's always been my belief that those with some type of important knowledge will always hold the most power. Those with no knowledge will have least powerand due to their ignorance will be easily manipulated by those with the most knowledge and power.

 

[whitecollarballer]

Strike the shepard, and the sheep will scatter...

 

[streetzdream]

Originally Posted by KeVeNMaYnE


this came to mind

Is That Gargamels House?

 

[datfliguy]

Originally Posted by CaBron James 23

Barack Odrama, why are you so supportive of Barack Obama? Or you joking? It seems you are well informed as to who runs the world. Don't you realize Obama is just another puppet?

I wouldn't go that far, obviously the President of the United States has an innumerable amount of influence, and may even be one of the mostpowerful in the world, if not the most. And that power may even expand beyond their presidency i.e Bill Clinton. Anyways this is an extremely problematicsubject, i wonder whose the main man though, who sits on the horizontal side of the World's most important table.

 

[jordanxi45]

^ Born in East L.A.!

I popped that movie in last night....I havn't seen it in days.

 

[drjordanfreak88]

Originally Posted by Barack 0drama

I don't need much convincing...I've been following this on my own since 2001, And I've done enough research to be able to comfortably say that I believe in this type of thing.

I tend not to post on NT because most of these dudes have ADD and only care about fapping to nudes and what Jordans they're gonna buy next.

People need to educate themselves.

bttt, people need to read this

 

[mneezy1]

I'll definitely be reading this for next month. Good looks.

 

[stillmatic23]

Wealthy people hang out together. That's no surprise. What is that story trying to get at? It's pretty obvious that tremendous wealth comes with power.It's only convenient that the elite rule the world.

 

[wawaweewa]

Originally Posted by Joseph Camel Jr

I hate how this is presented as some sort of shocking revelation that uncovers a global conspiracy.

No, idiots. Billionaires who are investors in some of the world's most powerful companies have a lot of power.

You really didn't know that? You need a book to tell you that?

Many people don't realize that but your premise doesn't go far enough. Of course wealthy people have power.


Maybe your comprehension is off but having power in and of itself is neither here nor there. What matters is what you do with that power. Tomany of them it's about it's about maintaining power. How does one maintain power in a world with 6 billion who can potentially challenge them in thefuture? By stacking the deck against those 6 billion.

We're constantly told that "oh rich people just make money. It's all about making money. Nothing more, nothingless." Which is fine.
However, some people get to the point where money doesn't mean much anymore. They're not looking to make money for the sake of money. They're noteven looking for power to make even more money.

What they want to do with their money and power is FUNDAMENTALLY change society. Again, that's not baf or good in and of itself. One can change societysimilar to what Lenin or Hitler did or similar to how the US founding fathers did it.
Now that we've established that they indeed do this the next question that comes to mind is; what are their goals. What's the endgame? What are theobjectives economically, socially, politically? Who does it benefit, the many or the few? Are there motives altruistic or are they looking to form a societywhere they will constantly keep power; i.e. feudalism?

Herein lies the problem. These elites don't really say it openly. They don't ask the public for their opinion (which is fine) nor do they care much forit.

Just as an example where do you think the ideas of NAFTA and GATT came from? Government?

Was the American electorate even asked whether they were in favor of suchtreaties?
How have those treaties turned out for the average American? Who does NAFTA and GATT exactly benefit? We all know who really benefits as evidenced by theenormous expansion in the wealth gap over the last 15 years.

Where do you think the idea of a North American Union originated ? Again, from the halls of government?

Who will that benefit?

See, you live in a fantasy world where you think all rich people just care about making money. That to all it's about the money.
Do you really think that to a group like the Rockefeller family who are worth trillions in liquidity and assets (literally) care about money at this point? Oreven a person like Zbigniew Brzezinski. He doesn't ahve much money but he has more power than most with a lot of money. To him it's not about money.It's about changing the course of history. You think the Carnegies or the Morgans care about money?

The guy who wrote this book was head of Kissinger and Associates the most powerful consulting and lobbying group in the WORLD,not just the US. Go tell him he shouldn't have wrote it. You sure know more than him, right?

In another interview he stated that the book wasn't really for the layman anyways. It was for those he termed the "Superclass".

Does being Jewish have anything to do w/ this?

No it doesn't. The vast majority of members of thinktanks, Corp. CEO's, and Board members aren't Jewish.
Of course there are those Jew haters who think that Jews run the world but they're just that, Jew haters. It's always easier to blame one specificgroup for all of the problems.

 

[abeautifulhaze]

The American Ruling Class - Lewis Lapham

 

[wawaweewa]

Just watch.
Aaron Russo was a famous movie producer in Hollywood and subsequently ran for Governor in Nevada. He was also one of the people who started the constitutionparty.
At one point he became close friends with Nick Rockefellor of the Rockefeller family.
Nick Rockefeller never denied that they were good friends or what Russo claimed he told him.