Lewis Powell Wrote...

Powell Memo

There are often major changes of direction in a society. Rarely are these accompanied by specific events, speeches, or documents. But, one particular document has lately come to indicate a major shift, or at least the beginning of discussions leading to a major shift in American society: the rise of Conservatism.

"The Powell Memo was first published August 23, 1971".

At the time of the Vietnam war there was also a 'war' of sorts against poverty and inequality of Social Rights where Americans of color were denied Equal Rights. Mr. Powell wrote about all that, how the business world (the Establishment really) was under siege, and how the Right might respond. I believe he points correctly to certain events, but fails to diagnose the problems properly. The resulting changes have come nonetheless. Below I give a few selected quotes, but read the entire article/memo (URL Link above).

Quotes

"In 1971, Lewis Powell, then a corporate lawyer and member of the boards of 11 corporations, wrote a memo to his friend Eugene Sydnor, Jr., the Director of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The memorandum was dated August 23, 1971, two months prior to Powell’s nomination by President Nixon to the U.S. Supreme Court."

Yes, there was politics and corruption at that time, and his payoff was to become a Justice.


"...the Chamber and corporate activists took his advice to heart and began building a powerful array of institutions designed to shift public attitudes and beliefs over the course of years and decades"

This idea of changing the country, rather than governing it, is inherent in the Right.


"The fact that this is either political demagoguery or economic illiteracy is of slight comfort. This setting of the “rich” against the “poor,” of business against the people, is the cheapest and most dangerous kind of politics."

And thus, the Right chose to use that technique, to "divide and conquer"!


"Strength lies in organization, in careful long-range planning and implementation, in consistency of action over an indefinite period of years, in the scale of financing available only through joint effort, and in the political power available only through united action and national organizations."

We have seen that clearly for many decades. The Right has FOX News, think-tanks, book publishing, and all the rest.


"as noted by columnist Stewart Alsop, writing about his alma mater: “Yale, like every other major college, is graduating scores’ of bright young men … who despise the American political and economic system.”

As these “bright young men,” from campuses across the country, seek opportunities to change a system which they have been taught to distrust — if not, indeed “despise” — they seek employment in the centers of the real power and influence in our country, namely: (i) with the news media, especially television; (ii) in government, as “staffers” and consultants at various levels; (iii) in elective politics; (iv) as lecturers and writers, and (v) on the faculties at various levels of education."

That last quote makes me think he already knew the Clintons (who studied at Yale) and their ambitions!


"But if academic freedom is to retain the qualities of “openness,” “fairness” and “balance” — which are essential to its intellectual significance — there is a great opportunity for constructive action. The thrust of such action must be to restore the qualities just mentioned to the academic communities."

The words "openness", "fairness" and "balance" make me think of FOX News and their use of the phrase "Fair and Balanced". Apparently they didn't think much of "openness".



"The national television networks should be monitored in the same way that textbooks should be kept under constant surveillance. This applies not merely to so-called educational programs (such as “Selling of the Pentagon”), but to the daily “news analysis” which so often includes the most insidious type of criticism of the enterprise system."

Is that the kind of system we would call 'open' or 'fair'?


"Business must learn the lesson, long ago learned by labor and other self-interest groups. This is the lesson that political power is necessary; that such power must be assidously (sic) cultivated; and that when necessary, it must be used aggressively and with determination — without embarrassment and without the reluctance which has been so characteristic of American business."

The politicians who read this must have loved it. They were being given a rationale for shaking down businesses for campaign funds. They would become fascists and work for the businesses in return for funding.


"The question which merits the most thorough examination is how can the weight and influence of stockholders — 20 million voters — be mobilized to support (i) an educational program and (ii) a political action program."

" The first step should be a thorough study. But this would be an exercise in futility unless the Board of Directors of the Chamber accepts the fundamental premise of this paper, namely, that business and the enterprise system are in deep trouble, and the hour is late."

People read his memo and responded powerfully. The social trend turned their direction and in the economy the unions have receded to bare existence while corporations and the rich individuals of today (2018) have much more wealth than 99% of the people. It is a situation similar to that which existed in 1929 when Wall St. crashed and the Great Depression began. We had a similar kind of crash in 2007-09, but it wasn't so catastrophic because the government response was powerful. Will another crash be defeated?