Bit of a pompous thread this and I may just be digging up ideas for my little read blog.
But too me it seems our governments have stopped calling the shots. I look at the rather sad figure of Brown; looking like a WHISPA bear in an ill fitting suit, or the rather hapless and out manovered Obama and find myself wandering. Do these guys actually run anything?
Examples.
1 The US health care debate. America has factually got the worst and the most expensive health care in the developed world. But the corporations that support it seem to have utterly won the debate on maintaining this system.
2 Jamie's School Dinners. Yes an old canard this one. But it still shocks me that eating crap that makes huge corps very rich. Is seen as an essential human right.
3 Both Lab and Con are planning huge public sector cuts. Cuts that are going to slice up the schools your kids goto, your hospitals and eventually your retirement. But there is no serious discussion around bonus culture or corp tax.
Oh and if you think there is a huge pile of QUANGOs etc sucking up government spending. Then your partially right, but no where near 10% of the budget. And you just know all the private sector bits (defence spending, giant computer projects et al) will survive.
So do we live in a situation where we have handed over all the real power, to vast corporations who can outspin and advertise our lumbering governments at every turn?
I look at China, Russia and most of Africa. Where governments really are an adjunct to business and I do worry...
Oh and for those who aren't up on immigration. If most of these companies recruited/trained and gave good opportunities with in the UK and overseas. Then immigration would be as much a source of concern as Penny Farthing theft.