WHO REALLY RULES THE WORLD?

About this event

The Politicians? The Billionaires? The System? Or Nobody? You vote. You work. You pay taxes. You follow the rules. But have you ever wondered who actually makes the rules? We like to think we know who runs the world. Presidents give speeches. Billionaires build empires. Governments pass laws. Corporations move trillions of dollars. But when you look behind the curtain, things get murkier. Who really holds the power? And are the people who appear to be in charge actually calling the shots? Contender #1: THE GOVERNMENTS The politicians still hold the ultimate power. Billionaires may have the money, but governments have the laws, the police, and the armies. They can regulate corporations, seize assets, and rewrite the rules of the game. When push comes to shove, can money really stand against the power of the state? Inspired by Mark Littlewood. Contender #2: THE CORPORATIONS Forget the politicians. Follow the money. Who controls the technology you use, the information you consume, the jobs you depend on, and the global economy? Corporations can shape entire societies without ever winning an election. Perhaps governments are not nearly as independent as we imagine. What good is political power if someone else controls the economic game? Inspired by Antara Haldar. Contender #3: THE POWERFUL PARTNERSHIP Maybe the real power lies in governments and corporations working together. Look at China, where state planning, private enterprise, and global investment coexist in an enormous economic machine. Perhaps the question isn't who defeats whom, but who can bring these forces together and make them work. Is the secret to power not domination, but coordination? Inspired by Henry Wang. Contender #4: NOBODY IS REALLY IN CHARGE What if there is no mastermind behind the curtain? Governments depend on corporations. Corporations depend on markets. Markets depend on institutions. And everyone depends on everyone else. Power might be something that emerges from an enormous, constantly shifting network of relationships. What if the world is being run by a system that nobody fully controls? Inspired by Sophie Scott-Brown. *** LET THE DEBATE BEGIN We'll explore these four perspectives one at a time, giving each its moment in the spotlight. Defend one. Tear another apart. Challenge an assumption. Change your mind. Or convince everyone that all four are missing something important. There are no assigned sides, no required conclusions, and definitely no need to agree. Optional background: Doha Debates — Who Really Runs the World? (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sTmDMMqxXM) A short handout introducing the four perspectives will be available for participants. Notes (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yEXSqrQUAfgpopDpqUEGjONKp32J1JZh/view?usp=sharing)