The instrumentalization of advanced capitalism and how to stop it

Corporate capture is a fundamental strategy of private economic power. It is also one of the worst evils plaguing people and planet.

What is it?We understand corporate capture as the influence exerted — legally or illegally — by a private economic elite, particularly large corporations, over State functions, policies, laws, and resources.

Based on an investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice, we now know that the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht paid bribes to sitting and former presidents and other public officials in at least 10 countries in Latin America in order to obtain public contracts and other favors. This enormous scheme of illicit financial flows involving an entire region resulted in billions of dollars worth of transfers from the public coffers of those countries involved into the hands of private interests. This is a clear example of corporate capture of the State. There are thousands more.

Themain characteristicsof corporate capture are:

It is extremely important to address and end the corporate capture of the State, which is the purpose of this site centered on the Global South. This phenomenon constitutes a fundamental component of corporate power, an antidemocratic force that has emerged from advanced capitalism and neoliberalism, and now threatens to exacerbate the climate crisis. It is precisely our reliance on goods and services provided by powerful corporations, along with the impacts on human rights and environmental damage they cause, that we seek to address. Here, we gather information on corporate capture that, until now, had remained scattered across different languages, sources, and fora. Defining and speaking clearly about the problem are part of its solution.

Through various forms of capture, the economic elite gains control of the State and shapes the “rules of the game” in its favor, thereby weakening public institutions. Some of themain mechanismsof corporate capture are:

At Empower, we specialize in understanding and tracking corporate capture, and assisting civil society organizations and social movements to combat it. Here, we provide an in-depth understanding of the phenomenon, its main manifestations, and mechanisms. Additionally, we present areas of opportunity and strategic innovations implemented by civil society to counteract it.

Economic elite, we have you in our sights

As a result of research conducted by Empower, we have compiled a report where we outline our understanding of corporate capture and present a summary of our key findings. Accompanying this report is a reference document where readers can delve deeper into our findings, including specific cases and examples. Both documents are available for download at this site.

The aim of our research is to identify the main challenges posed by corporate capture, the gaps between how it should be addressed and how it actually is, the opportunities for public policy to tackle it, and the strategies and innovations by civil society to address it. For instance, this includes the work of organizations across different regions that currently contribute to countering capture through strategic research, the implementation of information tools, name-and-shame campaigns, and mobilization among others.

For our analysis, we prioritize countries in the Global South where the effects of capture are often more severe, given the threats it poses to national sovereignty and its collusion with authoritarian regimes. Additionally, we highlight the risks of corporate capture within the energy transition, which is positioned as a solution to arguably the greatest threat humanity faces today: the climate crisis.

How to understand and end corporate capture

These are some of themost common manifestationsof corporate capture, as well as some of themost innovative strategiesto address it. Anyone looking to delve further into these topics can refer to the downloadable report and reference document, which provide additional details, examples, and specific cases. Click on the buttons to open the menu for each topic, where you’ll find an explanation with links to information sources.