?-of the People, by the People, for the People, , ?????

All people are opportunistic to some degree but the workings of civilization has made it possible for privileged persons to take advantage of others far exceeding convenience and necessity. Reality shows that the European concept of vassalage and the concepts of master/slave relationships dominate world cultures. The claimed "level playing field" for all persons has never existed. The claims of power to the capable and benefits to the needy have never existed. The claims of politicians are mostly lies designed to shift the workload to the un-favored and to shift the rewards to the favored. Out of the past comes the concept of the court and the courtier by which privilege is awarded. The privilege system is now more complicated but it is still an exclusionary system with more people excluded than included.

The Western World has evolved a system of economic empires, which now supersede governmental empires. Kings and presidents were once the rulers over people with representative bodies making laws and defining rules of privilege. Now it is the top management of international corporations that are the ultimate rulers. Corporate managers wield quantities of wealth that can bring ruin to wealthy nations. Corporate managers have now dictated terms for the conduct of two world wars; perhaps more if Korea, Vietnam, Persian Gulf and others are included. Corporate Kings now have mortgages on most of the world assets and are quick to foreclose if obligations are not met. Corporate Kings now favor nations according to their whims much as warlords and kings used to favor courtiers. Of course, international corporations could not exist without the complicity of national politicians.

There is incentive for national politicians to court corporations of all stripes. Corporations are funded initially by stock and bond issues. It is a fact that corporations issue many kinds of stocks and bonds for various purposes. Some issues of corporate stocks and bonds are for the general "sucker" investor while some issues of corporate stocks and bonds are reserved for privileged people; politicians, other privileged and celebrities. Only a few "sucker" stocks and bonds pay dividends or interest better than bank rate these days. Stocks and bonds for the privileged people pay as good as ever. In fact, brokers will favor persons in power or persons with high public relations value by steering investment toward profits, even guaranteeing profits at the expense of lesser investors. Broker guarantees to privileged persons have been exposed to public scrutiny only in Japan but it is a dirty little secret that needs to be aired everywhere. Another dirty little secret is the gambit of creating a corporation for no other purpose than for the opportunity of looting it and legally stealing money from the public. Only recently in the dot com debacle has it been revealed that the broker/investment banker relationship profiteered at the expense of casual investors. In the last few national elections the news media has showed the public the face of political bribery in the form of side shows held for the purpose of transferring money to the hands of politicians. Corporate bulls control the money and political bulls wield the power.

All people are concerned about quality of life. Rich people can buy any quality of life they wish for. And, there is a gradient of fortune among people right down to the absolute outcast. There is a non-linear inverse relationship between wealth and population numbers, few rich and many poor. In the area of civil justice, rich people buy immunity from the law and poor people pay the piper though not guilty of crime. There is a more ominous threat to quality of life. The earth is overpopulated by three to one now; sustainable population two billion and actual population at six billion and growing at a staggering rate. Quality of life for most citizens is poor at best and murder awaits the less fortunate. The relatively few people who could lead humanity back to sane existence are profiteering from the misery of the many. In many countries the top politicians are dictators feeding off the ignorance of the masses and in the "western nations" corporate overlords feed off the impotence of debt loaded populace.

Class warfare consists of a few well-organized rich people commanding a "thuggee" police force against the many poor people who are ignorant of the principles of organization or of means of battle. Over the centuries the lords had only to fear their armies. Those smart lords always kept a well-paid courtier army close by in case of insurrection by civilians or lesser armies. Even today education is rationed, opportunity is rationed and retaliation is an ever-present threat. The government makes examples of those who threaten the status quo or otherwise challenge authority. This writer has personal reason to believe that the government takes every opportunity to create examples before the public to avert challenges to authority. Every citizen is subject to constant surveillance by local snitches, paid spies, active investigation and "framing" if it would serve a purpose (experience!).

In the chapters to follow these themes will be expanded and side effects will be discussed. The schism between government and the will of the people creates atmosphere for social ills reaching far across society. The history of America and the world testifies to the audacity of plutocrats and oligarchs in their treatment of lesser people and the reduced quality of life that results. Police states are construed to have the power to kill in order to protect the greater number of citizens but in fact police kill to enforce the will of politicians and corporate lords while subjugating the greater number of citizens. The reader is hereby informed that every comment in this work has cost the writer, a relative or friend economic loss or physical pain. There is considerable research and practical application that has gone into the many conclusions and comments.