Trilateral Commission - Essay Example

Trilateral Commission Number Department Introduction Since its establishment in 1973, the Trilateral Commission has been promoting closer relations among three major global economic powers; Europe, the United States and Japan. The organization was set up by some individual Europeans, Japanese, and citizens of the United States to help find solutions to the general challenges facing the countries and offer governance on the pertinent issues of these egalitarian industrialized economies in the broader global spectrum. The leadership responsibilities of the member states are often executed out in a joint manner and with regard to a developing extent. Fortunately, the recent past has witnessed the organization tailor its scope to mirror this transforming scenario and the prospects it offers. Overview of Tri-lateral Commission Coming to terms with a deep dissension between the major economic regions of the world, the Trilateral Commission has its scope clearly cut out to promote more political and economic discourse among the partners. The mission of the Trilateral Commission revolves around promoting ties among the three major economic regions of the world. In light of this, the organization witnesses the contemporary world superseding the national influences and looks at the world as a common arena for finding solutions to political and economic challenges facing the individual states. Even though, it is vital to nurture greater integration among all the world states, Japan, and Western countries, in light of their immense significance to the global economy and their remarkable international ties, bears an exceptional responsibility for cultivating effective collaboration, both in regard to achieving the national goals and in pursuit of the general world. These goals include; poverty eradication and maintaining security in the three regions1. The Commission brings together knowledgeable leaders to chart the way forward on most pressing issues that the world was facing, in which time, effective communication and international relations between Europe, North American region, and Asia were missing. The organization has developed since its formation to incorporate different countries from other regions in the three continents, and it persists with its intent to confirm that researches and trilateral discourse on the significant challenges facing the planet remain, thus should be treated with the weight they deserve as was the case in 1973. Although, the economic challenges facing the member states have undergone evolution, their significance has only worsened, thanks to the increasingly interconnected nature of the world economies and sovereignty of different world states of the contemporary world. Although, the organization incorporates only a few states, and organizes infrequent meetings, it sees immense value in its formation and hopes to expand and become more proactive in extending its scope2. The Trilateral Commission is working toward the effective search for solutions to the challenges facing the member countries. This has enabled Japan, North America, and Western Europe to foster dialogue, embrace consultative culture and work together more directly, on the principle of equal opportunity, to formulate and implement significant policies on issue affecting their citizens. The organization also seeks to avoid chances of the states embracing unilateral approaches to the issues that not only face them, but the world in general. These include actions that are not in line with their close relations and from decisions that are disadvantageous to the rest of the world and to enable the member countries to benefit from existing global and regional bodies and further enhance their input. The Commission intends to contribute more significantly as a forum of open dialogue with other states and regions; promote development processes of the “overburdened states” and greater enhancement European and Asian countries economically, and politically. Impacts of Trilateral Commission on Capitalism For almost four decades, the Trilateral Commission has instigated a substantial impact on the “overburdened” Third World economies. Its impact on democratic ideals, the welfare state and capitalism, especially in the Middle East can be attributed to the oil-soaked nature of the region, and the need among Western nations to secure an affordable energy source for use in the industrial and transportation sectors back home. The significance to have a say in the whole Third World, especially in the Middle East, is triggered by the ever advancing need to make profits. By winning over Japan, the West has managed to extend its influence in the region to tap in the rich oil deposits. Capitalism establishes the necessary structures to gain more. This necessitates sacrifices of employee remuneration and gains to parties who are not direct investors; a direct impact of Capitalism. To the level that the Trilateral Commission needs to rake in substantial gains for parties who have business interests in the region, such as the stockholders, the organization is prompted to influence the government policies. In light of this, governments often become submissive to the multinationals so businessmen will maintain and even advance the gains they make in the larger corporate spectrum. In light of this, the multinational corporations structure the ways through which they can dominate the national authorities, influence the legislative arms of the government, not only in the member countries, but their neighboring overburdened states. Nonetheless, the United States is still held in this culture which continues to hurt the lower-end population segment and the middle-class3 US, prompting widespread “occupy Wall Street” protests in the country. Impact on democracy Trilateral Commission is also believed to have a significant role to play in the democracies of the member states. For instance, American president Jimmy Carter was voted to office in spite of his fairly unpopular status, because the international organization offered the avenue through which he could win in the polls. In fact, a large number of the members of Carter's supporters in Atlanta such as Gambrell, Kirbo, and Austin, among others are believed to be closely related to Rockefeller and with the wider Eastern quarters4. The Gambrells are a significant partner in the Eastern Airlines. The company witnessed Laurence Rockefeller owning the largest chunk of individual stocks in the company. Even though, Eastern Airlines was forced to close shop, due to economic challenges, the senior Gambrell was on Eastern Airlines' key management team, and provided legal aid for the airline. Laurence Rockefeller is a significant figure on the Eastern board of directors with Gambrell and the other Rockefeller relations as the two significant investors of the shareholders managing that company; hence, the connection between the president Carter and the founding members of the international organization. Even though, the membership of Trilateral Commission encompasses individuals from intellectual backgrounds, labor unions, corporate quarter, and the wider political sanctums, the largest proportion is from corporate entities5. With a lot of interest in influencing national politics by the corporate sector, it is rational, therefore, to transform this thinking into global politics as well. To be in a better opportunity and bring to an end “unfair’ competition on the global arena as well as within the jurisdiction of the member states, the big multinationals could secure the immense gains they need. Interlocking boards, or personalities who contribute to the socio-economic and political influences of the states, and that of the global market offer the best political influence because individual multinationals take part not in a single manner or as autonomous firms but as members of an entire arrangement. The Trilateral Commission is an expanded organization that operates this way. Under the arrangement, the West uses its industrial products and technologies to bargain for better economic prospects with the Middle East, which holds significant oil resources6. Japan in this case acts as the perfect capitalist launch-pad in Asia, on which this mission is executed. Welfare of nations The economic meltdown that rocked many developed countries in the early 1970s culminated in the founding of this organization. The intent of its formation was based on the need to safeguard the welfare of member countries, on matters economic, and oil was the sole remedy. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries was essentially founded due to the actions of the West to take care of their economic interests back home. Other national factors were also played out; these include the Soviet Union's remarkably developing military influence and Cuba's assistance for overburdened economies. The prevailing economic situation in the oil-rich countries enabled them to make more direct investments in foreign markets, thereby limiting the ownership influence by the developed Western world. While the overburdened developing countries are clearly conscious of the fact that General Assembly agreements are not binding, they still strived to make meaningful contributions in their national interest. Although, the passage of the resolution established neither a new order nor even a new idea, the policy-making exercise, however, culminated effectively in the achievement of the longstanding claim by the underdeveloped world that they have a right to economic growth. Nevertheless, the challenge facing the overburdened states in the arrangement evolved into the change of the verdicts into credible acts. Owing to the existing global economic frameworks and the circulation of influence that formed the basis of their ideologies, the Third World economies were full aware of the fact that the achievement was a tall order. The developed West and especially the United States persisted to train her eyes on the oil resources for better economic leverage7. Conclusion In general, the Trilateral Commission was established to realize integrated approach of the founding member states to pressing international issues that affect the countries, and aid internal government policy making. As the mission of the Commission states, it seeks to advance better understanding among the allies in the modern international political environment. As a result, the Commission impacted better economic development in North America, Europe and Japan as well as in the Middle East. Despite its immense contribution to the enhancement of socio-economic ties among North America, Europe and Asia courtesy of Japan, several of prominent philosophers and politicians have punched holes in the mandate of the Trilateral Commission, terming it an amorphous organization hell-bent on belittling the sovereignty of member states. The organization has also come under sharp criticism in regard to its composition, with critics pointing out a skillful, well-planned strategy to wrest control and strengthen the four tenets of authority: political, financial, scholarly, and ecclesiastical: resulting in the setting up of a global economic center of influence that is more powerful than the political leadership of the member states. The Commission’s activities in the United States, in which it offered recommendations for the excesses of democratic ideals in the 1960s, advanced the notion of the moderates of capitalism in leadership, and as a result the Commission played a significant role in the an undeserved victory and policy-making of US President Jimmy Carter. Bibliography Abbott, Charlotte, Gold, Sarah, and Rotella, Mark. Rule by Secrecy: The Hidden History that Connects the Trilateral Commission, the Freemasons, and the Great Pyramids. Publishers Weekly,247 No. 13(2000): 65. Gill, Stephen. American Hegemony and the Trilateral Commission. New York: CUP Archive, 1991. Read More