Is there any possibility to compromise two opposing poles: Claudius Ptolemy 100-170 AD( who claimed that earth is the centre of the universe) & Nicolaj Copernicus 1473-1543 (who claimed that sun is the centre of universe)? It took science and experiences 1300 years to prove Copernicus claims. That is my first impression when I read Kenneth’s book “Kapitalens Europe”, Europe’s Capital and the detailed rich info on how the decision process works, before its final step to be presented to the unelected European Commission. 30.000 lobbyists work constantly on all the domains relevant to their corporations: Industry, Medicine, Oil, Banks, Milieu …etc. Milliard of Euros are invested by the different lobbyist groups, interfering in every tiny detail before and during the process of presenting the final motion to the commission. Councilors are mainly picked up from the boards of the different corporation to give their ideas and suggestions; & sometimes representatives from the “Corporate Europe Observatory” could attend the meetings- mostly unwelcomed- when the draft resolutions are already completed.
The ten chapters of the book reveal the origins of the gap between the peoples’ interests & those of the Corporations. The deficit in democracy (demokratiske underskud) created by the competition state (konkurrence staten) & the lobbyist huge influence in decision making poses a serious question on the possibility to reconciliate “Capital” with “Democracy”, precisely as the utmost difficulty to get “Ptolemy” & “Copernicus” reconciled in their fundamental opposing theories- concerning the centrality of the earth or sun in our universe.
Perhaps one chapter is missing in this book: namely weapons corporations, who are the dynamo of all the wars in this small planet. Interesting in this regard to read the last interview of Daniel Ellsberg-who leaked the 7000 pages document about the unwinnable war in Vietnam in 1973, before his recent death two weak ago concerning a document that he did not leak, about the possibility of an atom bomb on China in 1958 after a crises in Taiwan strait, predicting approx. one billion dead!!!
More independent NGO’s, more watchdogs as Kenneth Haar, more free researchers, more of the likes of the decent courageous man as Daniel Ellsberg are needed to evade unnecessary and false wars & keep our planet & race more healthy, democratic and human oriented.