Rise of the merchant class

The Industrial Revolution: the new empire

A new development in the application of science and technology brought an unprecedented revolution in human history. The ability to mass-produce any commodity drove the engines of the Industrial Revolution. Suddenly more wealth could be created, emancipating individuals from their station in life if they just used any means available for them to make money. Poor, but smart men could suddenly amass millions and millions of dollars and pounds and francs and gold bullion if they are lucky but more importantly, ruthless enough to achieve their goals of making money. Ordinary men could now be richer than the kings and princes who ruled of old. A new ideology was born and is aptly called: Profits. Anything can be done in the name of profit. Any wheeling and dealing, machination and maneuvering was accepted and lionized if done in the name of profits. A great hunger to amass more and more wealth overcame the imaginations of many causing them to leave their homes and try their luck in the land of plentiful opportunities.

Warriors and kings were made subject to priests and intellectuals in the previous cycle of power. Now, warriors and kings, thinkers and scientists have become the willing tools of businessmen in the pursuit of profits. The principles of democracy fits squarely and snugly into the silk gloves of moneymen whose rallying cry of :"The Economy" is carried far and wide by all the communications mediacausing a president to fall and another to rise. Everything is dictated by "the economy". If some money can be put in the pockets of the many then the man who can claim to have done that would become president or prime minister; never mind that the money that trickles into the pockets of the majority is a mere pittance in comparison to the billions that flood into the coffers of the Multinational corporations.

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