Despite the values of capitalism and democracy having extensive ideological divergence, the two systems have surprisingly been able to coexist within the United States throughout the nation’s history. More recently, severe tension has a rose between the democratic and capitalist schools of thought. At the heart of the tension, lies one contentious issue: the fact that a capitalist modeled economy makes it possible for single individuals or firms to acquire massive concentrations of the entire nation’s wealth, with which can be used to obtain substantial political influence. In the book Dark Money, Author Jane Mayer offers insight on how American billionaires have been able to use their immense wealth to affect the United States’ legislation …show more content…
Through capitalist ideology and markets, the aforementioned billionaires were able to reach such exclusive economic status (According to a CNBC poll, 0.00001% of American’s have a net worth greater than or equal to a billion dollars). The laissez-faire principle of capitalism calls for freedom in the economic marketplace, hence why capitalist economies are often referred to as free-market. Essentially, free is a reference to being free of government regulation or control. As could be expected, many billionaire businessmen who came to wealth through the capitalist economic system desire to keep the United States’ economy as “free” as possible. Charles and David Koch serve as prime examples of billionaires fixated on keeping/extending “freedom” in the United States’ economy (Mayer, p.172). The Koch brothers throughout recent decades have been notorious for using their immense wealth to perpetuate libertarian and capitalist ideals (Mayer, p.172-175). In Dark Money, Jane Mayer mentions the fact that the fact that the Koch brothers were significant donors in the campaign of former Senator of Kansas, Bob Dole (Mayer, p.174). Conveniently, Koch Industries (the company which both Koch brothers share ownership in) headquarters resides in none other than Kansas