The Erosion of Democracy

Aaron Fiero
Reflective paper
May 1, 2016

Applying Adam Smiths ideology eloquently explained in his book,

The Wealth of Nations, one finds a few correlations between his
stances on the role government should take in respects to the private
sector and Capitalism.

In his book The Wealth of Nations he argues that an economy

that has limited government inferences is more likely to prosper thus
for the first time creating the concept of the invisible hand. The
meaning behind it is that there are unintended social benefits
resulting from personal actions. Easily leaving one to infer that as
people strive to develop and strengthen their economic well being they
will collectively contribute to the betterment of the society, the wealth
of a nation.

That concept for decades made sense and it helped to explain

the concept of supply demand and profits. But that concepts been
morphing to something more insidious then that. Since Adams time
individuals starting up there own businesses are no longer the
responsible parties of that said business. Now, a business is treated as

an entity much like a person with is own name, social security number
and address. The nuance to this corporation is that although it has all
the benefits and privileges of a civilian its become immune, under the
protection of Capitalism, to any and all moral consequences. And that
is where special interest groups and Lobbyist come in. Not everything
that sells means that its good to consume. Conversely, not everything
that is good is guaranteed to sell. So Lobbyist are groups of people
contracted by corporations to ensure that political policies, regulations
and negative scientific literature does not interfere with the production
and distribution of their products.

Personally, Ive found the role of lobbyist and special interest

groups fascinating. It is amazing to me to see how a small select few
groups of people can labor so perfectly in cohesion to silence the
greater masses and be so successful. Several years ago, I couldnt find
articles in mainstream media supporting global warming now things
have changed. Now, Im finding more and more. And I wonder if the
matter has become so obvious and dyer that denying it would simply
be foolish. The same could be said about tobacco. When tobacco first
hit the market commercials argued that it was good for you and that
there were no health issues. Now the irrefutable fact is that tobacco is
bad to ones health.

Interestingly, as special interest groups work together to push

their company products forward endorsements and sponsorships are
following their lead. When Adam Smith wrote his book The Wealth of
Nations, I dont think he realized at the time that corporations would
evolve to what they have today. Today, in efforts to reduce cost
corporations export their labor abroad thus distorting Smiths original
idea that there are unintended social benefits resulting from personal
actions. In reality the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting
poorer. The laws and regulations enforced by corporations and lobbyist
are laws that further enhance the lifestyles of the select few. The
lobbyist and special interest works have worked hard to push their
agenda by doing so law and regulations that were intended to promote
their company and protect their Minimum wages, high cost for college
attendance among other things work together to confine people to a
life of mediocrity and not everything they do will results in favor.

When I stop to consider the effects that capitalism has on the

economy and the life style it has on civilians I tend to share Albert
Einsteins ideology. In Albert Einstein 1949 book Why Socialism? he
argued what he would argue was Capitalisms greatest evils: I am
convinced there is only one way to eliminate these grave evils of
[capitalism], namely through the establishment of a socialist economy,
accompanied by an educational system which would be oriented

toward social goals. In such an economy, the means of production are

owned by society itself and are utilized in a planned fashion. A planned
economy, which adjusts production to the needs of the community,
would distribute the work to be done among all those able to work and
would guarantee a livelihood to every man, woman, and child. The
education of the individual, in addition to promoting his own innate
abilities, would attempt to develop in him a sense of responsibility for
his fellow men in place of the glorification of power and success in our
present society.