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The Ghost of WWI and the Modern State-Corporate Complex
The Lasting Grip of War Collectivism
It is my perception that the world War I marked the change in how we understand the connections between government institutions and corporate entities in history. During the war the United States established an economic system that unified big business with governmental institutions to revolutionize economic operations. War collectivism established a partnership between government entities and corporations that defined state-corporate relations for the entire 20th century. This unified government-business system expanded after the war because it evolved to fit the new conditions of the world.
Current conditions reveal that this joint venture continues to strongly impact every aspect. Look at the current events unfolding in Ukraine and the Middle East. The geopolitical conflict showcases state-corporate relations which emerged during World War I. Public authorities heavily depend on corporate entities to execute their missions involving military agreements and energy management and surveillance initiatives. It is difficult to view the independent business competition of free market capitalism as more than a historical concept. Our current world exists as a single entity between government interests and corporate power which merge into a unified force that erodes…
