EDITORIAL
What Western Elites?
By Tibor Machan - March 12, 2011

Some avid supporters of the free market write a great deal about Western Elites who, among other things, want to impose democracy on the Middle East and are bent on controlling the world's financial institutions and doings. Since no person or institution is named, at least so far as I am aware, where these Western Elites are mentioned, I am unable to figure out who are these people, what their broader philosophy or ideology amounts to, why they are doing the things they are doing, including attempting to impose democracy on the people of the Middle East and to control the world's financial affairs.

Nor, come to think of it, am I provided with enough information to learn what the people who make these points about Western Elites actually believe other than their broad commitment to the free market (of which, of course, there is no example anywhere on the globe).

The place where the missives making these references to Western Elites are made is a Web Site where some of my columns supportive of the fully free, libertarian polity are featured. These columns appear on my own websites and on some others, including in some newspapers and magazines. And those who edit the web site where the talk of Western Elites is so prominent have been very kind to me and have always published the columns they have chosen to feature without asking for revisions. (I have also been interviewed by them and all my answers to their questions have been faithfully included in the published interviews.)

I am not interested in getting involved in some kind of cat fight with anyone, especially not with folks who publish many valuable essays about financial issues, specifically about the U. S. Federal Reserve Bank and the banking system of many Western countries. But I am concerned about the fact that these references to Western Elites are so frequent and yet so vague. I am unable to check out for myself what these Western Elites say or think or write. Where are their works published, in what newspapers, blogs, magazines, and books can one find their positions laid out? From reading the discussions where the Western Elites are mentioned – just as "Western Elites" – I cannot go and research the positions of these folks, see if they ever answer the criticism leveled at them, etc.

This disturbs me somewhat because even in short discussions of other people's views it would be appropriate to indicate what exactly those views are, how they are put by the very people who hold them (instead of by their critics). When some people's ideas are discussed, it is always helpful to have at least a few direct quotes from the horse's mouth – some primary as opposed to secondary references. This is why in scholarly treatments one offers footnotes or end notes or other indicators so that readers are able to follow up on the discussion and make sure they are grasping the positions being examined. It also enhances trust.

Of course, columns cannot produces all this – few would want to read a usual column with a bunch of notes at the end – yet even there a name or two could steer the reader in the right direction for purposes of more detailed study. So, I am hoping that the sentiments expressed in this brief missive will reach those who discuss the Western Elites – people who are evidently not friends of liberty, nor of ordinary and unsuspecting folks around the globe – and that they will help out readers of their essays with a few specifics that can be used by them to do one's own research. I think this isn't too much to ask for.

One may point out here that I, too, am failing to mention names here but I am not accusing anyone of being bent on imposing anything on anyone or belonging to some elite and, moreover, the folks who are making reference to Western Elites will probably know who they are if they read this missive and could help me out without at this point being named.


Editor's note:

Dear Tibor,

In response to your polite and well-articulated article, above, it seems obvious you are referring to us. We have in the resource section of our site, two articles that describe the monetary and power elite, see below; so from our view we have long provided a description of the "elites" to whom we refer. We also – in response to queries such as yours – suggest people Google "money elite" and "power elite." There are literally thousands of websites that provide extensive information from a variety of viewpoints, on the Western elites.

We believe these descriptions (see below) provide an accurate description. We do not try to "name names" on a regular because that brings us into the realm of a discussion that is not ours to make. We are concerned with free markets and the forces that oppose free markets in generic terms – especially the fear-based promotions (global warming, etc.) that the elites use to frighten people into giving up wealth and power to internationalist organizations. But to get into the particulars of whom and what comprises the "power elite" is an entirely separate conversation and one that is pursued on other websites and blogs quite extensively.

We have in the past in "feedbacks" provided names of certain families that are traditionally linked to the power elite; the Rothschilds for their involvement in central banking; the Rockefellers for their support of the United Nations and the involvement of David Rockefeller in the entire strata of the modern financial system: the IMF, BIS, World Bank, etc. We have also indicated that an epicenter of the power elite would be the one-square mile city-within-a-city that is the "City of London" but that other elements of money power might be found in other "cities within cities" such as Washington DC and the Vatican. That we would come to such conclusions would come as no surprise to anyone who studies these issues even cursorily, in our opinion.

Now it is true we do believe that the "elites" are primarily Anglo-American and that they are hellbent on imposing world governance; but again this is fairly indisputable. If one looks at the genesis of the UN and the creation of international paraphernalia including the current global legal infrastructure that has been erected, WHO, NATO, even the EU, one sees substantive Anglo-American involvement. These are facts. The world would be a very different place without the activity of Anglo-American money power and Anglo-American wars.

We do not agree with the idea that the world is better off with a single unified government or a single unified currency, for which the IMF is currently campaigning hard. We believe the current economic system, reliant on central banking and its booms and busts is a terrible economic system and one that emphasizes price fixing of the value and quantity of money; it cannot end well and never does. Nor do we agree with America's endless overseas warring, which we believe is bankrupting what was once (long ago) the greatest and freest country on earth. It is not now.

Below we have listed the two articles describing the elite that have long been available at this website. We hope that these (along with this response) will suffice to address your concerns. If you remain uncomfortable, you are surely not under any obligation to continue to publish with us. We have enjoyed our association with you and would certainly regret any distruption, but if you wish to cease your relationship, that is your choice and we will understand.

With sincere, best wishes,

The Editors

Two definitions from the resources section of the DB:

Monetary Elite

The monetary elite consists of wealthy families and individuals who seek to expand their wealth and influence through the development and promotion of dominant social themes.

Such themes often issue from the institutional centers of the elite's global architecture, such as the United Nations , World Bank , World Trade Organization or World Health Organization . They then are broadcast by and elaborated upon by prominent segments of the mainstream media. Thousands of opinion leaders may join in amplifying a theme. Thus the brainchild of a very few – the monetary elite – can seem to be the work of many.

Once announced, themes such as bird flu, Islamofascism and peak oil are repeated relentlessly until much of the public accepts their fearful premises and demands action. Those with the wherewithal to provide solutions – products, services and public stock offerings – may collect vast profits even if the problem is imaginary or exaggerated and regardless of whether the offered solutions provide any actual benefit to the public.

In modern times, the monetary elite is often referred to as the "power elite ." The monetary elite has attracted little modern scholarly analysis, but there are several theories, some serious and some fanciful, as to its character and composition. They include:

The monetary elite is identified with such elusive groups as the "Illuminati," the "black church" or the "black nobility."

The core of the monetary elite consists of the European and American banking dynasties and certain titled families.

The core of the monetary elite includes "sub-churches' within the Roman Catholic and/or Jewish religions.

The monetary elite includes members who claim to trace their roots to ancient times, even to Babylon and beyond, a notion that supports the conceit that they properly stand apart from the "common herd."

It is not necessary to judge which, if any, of these theories is correct to detect the manufacturing of urgent problems that are presented as needing cures that can be provided only by an elite. Signifiers of monetary elite activities include a disdain for (or ignorance concerning) free markets and an incorrigible persistence in promoting a theme even after it has been largely rejected by the public or discredited by facts that are widely known.

2) Power Elite

The term "power elite" traces to the writings of C. Wright Mills, including his 1956 book, The Power Elite. The concept posits wealthy and/or well connected families and individuals who seek to expand their wealth by applying and promoting dominant social themes . Such themes may eventually develop into widely held archetypes or memes .

Often such themes seem to originate with the United Nations , World Bank , World Trade Organization, World Health Organization or other international bodies that are receptive to influence by the power elite. The themes then are picked up and rebroadcast by the mainstream media. Thus, what may seem to be the work of an independent institutional staff may actually be the brainchild of the power elite.

Concepts such as bird flu, Islamofascism and peak oil are so extensively promoted that much of the public unquestioningly accepts their fearful premises and demand action. Those with the wherewithal to provide solutions – products, services and corporate offerings via public markets – may earn vast profits as a consequence.

There is little contemporary scholarly analysis of the concept of the power elite, but it corresponds roughly to what once was called "the money power."

There are a variety of theories as to the composition and character of the power elite. It sometimes is referred to ominously as the "Illuminati," the "black church" or the "black nobility." It is not necessary to confirm such characterizations to recognize that the action and influence of modern money power are pervasive.

In most conceptions, the core of the power elite coalesces around the European and American banking dynasties and some elite, titled families, or it may be characterized as a "sub-church" within the Roman Catholic, Jewish or other religion .

In some conceptions, the power elite includes members who claim to trace their ancestry to ancient times, even to Babylon and beyond. This accords with the notion that members believe their pedigrees differentiate them from the "common herd."

Signifiers of power elite activity include a disdain of free-markets and the persistent and uncritical promotion of a theme or meme to the exclusion of contrary evidence or argument.

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