The Rise of Corporate Power

    As I was reading Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, I noticed the prevalence of the word "Ford," which really confused me at first. As I researched further, however, I began to draw parallels between the society illustrated by the book and the revolutions of industry as a result of the innovations of Henry Ford, whom I would imagine the book was referring to. I noticed how the Bonkanovsky Process, the individual racks, and the specialized workers had a close resemblance to the assembly line perfected by Ford. Just as the assembly line symbolized the change from local production to massive industry and rapid scientific and mechanical breakthrough, Brave New World depicts a transition from small-scale production to a single corporate powerhouse. It is also interesting to note that this facility is the only one described in the book, and with the ability to control populations and send people to distant corners of the globe (as Mond did with Bernard and Helmholtz), it seems to have virtually taken over the world. I can't help to draw conclusions from this book, which seems to be more of a warning than a tale of a dystopia. Today, corporations are becoming more powerful than ever. Apple, for example, has reached a net worth of over 600 billion, which is higher than the GDP of many countries in the world. Additionally, companies are legally funding campaigns, pouring millions of dollars to try to guarantee the election of their candidate. By doing this, they are gaining favor in the eyes of the candidate, who in turn grants them pardons. Companies are undeniably gaining influence in politics, and although Brave New World is merely an extremity, it served as an eye-opener to me in regards to growing corporate power.

-Simon Ketema