Independent candidate for President Ralph Nader described the current government and economic system of the United States as "corporate fascism" at a campaign event held in Berkeley on May 12.

"We're living in a country whose democracy is beyond the breaking point. The extent of corporate control has developed into corporate fascism," declared Nader.

"We don't have a capitalist economic system - it's corporate fascism. Every major tenet of capitalism is violated by corporate power," said Nader. Only small businesses still practice capitalism, according to Nader.

Nader explained that major corporations buy politicians and write the laws through their lobbyists, thus owning the Capitol. They receive billions in government subsidies and hand-outs, but 68 percent of corporations pay no federal income tax, according to Nader.

Corporate fascism not only rules U. S. politics and the economy, but also other aspects of life including the way people think, said Nader. "We grow up corporate with commercialized childhoods. We get a corporate education."

Some critics of the World Bank believe that the institution was not started in order to reduce poverty but rather to support United States' business interests, and argue that the bank has actually increased poverty and been detrimental to the environment, public health, and cultural diversity.[4] Some critics also claim that the World Bank has consistently pushed a "neo-liberal" agenda, imposing policies on developing countries which have been damaging, destructive and anti-developmental.[5][6] A number of intellectuals in developing countries have argued that the World Bank is deeply implicated in contemporary modes of donor and NGO driven imperialism and that its intellectual output functions to blame the poor for their condition.[7]

It has also been suggested that the World Bank is an instrument for the promotion of US and 'Western' interests in certain regions of the world. Consequently, seven South American nations have established the Bank of the South in order to minimize US influence in the region.[8] Criticisms of the structure of the World Bank refer to the fact that the President of the Bank is always an American, nominated by the President of the United States (though subject to the approval of the other member countries). There have been accusations that the decision-making structure is undemocratic, as the US effectively has a veto on some constitutional decisions with just over 16% of the shares in the bank;[9] moreover, decisions can only be passed with votes from countries whose shares total more than 85% of the bank's shares.[10] A further criticism concerns internal governance and the manner in which the World Bank is alleged to lack transparency to external publics.[11]

Do corporations own the government?

The Government of Canada is also committing $25 million over five years to establish a federal P3 Office. The P3 Office will facilitate a broader use of P3s in Canadian infrastructure projects, including the identification of P3 opportunities at the federal level. The Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities and the Minister of Finance are working collaboratively on the details of the P3 Office and the P3 Fund.

The Building Canada plan also encourages the development and use of P3s by requiring that this option be considered in larger infrastructure projects funded through the Gateways and Border Crossings Fund and the Building Canada Fund. All projects seeking $50 million or more in federal contributions will be required to be assessed and considered for the viability of the P3 option.