Theory V: Moving around globally investment capital

Actually, this isn't my theory (I read it a few years back in a book), but in studying globalization once again, I find the theory isn't that bad.

It goes as this: Financiers, usually in conjunction with other members biologically related, want their investments to yield the greatest amount of return.  Accordingly, they sponsor or support a particular government, call it "favored,"  that has certain advantages to aid them.  Once they determine that the government no longer is of much use to them, they work to effect its fall upon hard times.  But meanwhile, they have found another government which can take its place.  The point is, they want to assure that they are in control of virtually the entire flow of wealth in the world; and that no government, even the one they have favored, will become so powerful as to dictate to them or control or regulate their activities.

This story has been repeated in world history several times since the Renaissance.  I think these financiers in the beginning were connected with the rise of banks in Italy; but they certainly represent in any age the commericial class of wealth in contradistinction to the traditional, indigenous landowner class. 

Spain in the 15th Century, I think was designated "favored."  Then through the Spanish Hapsburgs, the status fell to the Calvinist Dutch in the 16th Century.  Spain acknwledged the independence of Northern Netherlands.  War between the Dutch defeated the English ended with William III established as King of England.  Pooling their resources, the Dutch and the English defeated Louis XIV of France.  The Dutch could not overcome the drain on its finances caused by the war with France; specifically, the Dutch navy could no longer sustain its superior position.

And so slowly the English navy came to rule the seas.  Meanwhile, the English obtained the spoils of the war with France including some former Spanish colonies.  They also expanded in Canada--Nova Scotia and Newfoundland--and in the Mediterranean area including Gibraltar.  This abundance of new lands meant new markets for trade and commerce through English merchants.  Peace with France heralded a protracted period of peace.  Importantly, the Bank of England had been established at the turn of the 18th Century, making possible a commercial culture throughout England that led to the Industrial Revolution.

As ruler of the seas, Britain aspired to new political heights, reaching out as an imperial power into the 1890's, particularly establishing stronghold in India, colonizing new markets and protectorates across the globe.  England's stature as the world's foremost banker and financier was unquestioned.  This meant those who invested in English markets amassed great fortunes.

But the financiers' problem with England was its political greed.  It heralded Queen Victoria as the Empress of India.  It saw its wealth and prestige as something it had accomplished, not that which was bestowed by its commercial dominating class.

What I think then happened is merely my conjecture.  I think the financiers backed the development of Germany's navy to rival that of England.  Further, I think they anticipated that the rivalry would lead to WWI principally between these two seafaring nations.

These financiers, I surmise, thought Germany would win.  They could not anticipate the US involvement in a European War.  But so they had to make an adjustment, bringing the US into their investment portfolio.  It is thought that Germany appealed to these investors shortly before WWII broke out to back a German victory  ( I read that in a novel a few years ago).   These financiers would not monetarily support Hitler; and it's thought that as a result, Roosevelt started building airplanes for the English just prior to the War.

Thus, the United States emerges as the favored nation; and its fast-growing economy as well as those trading with it, becomes the markets for world-financier investments.  These financiers (and their families) make a bundle!  It's too bad that currently, the GDP of the Western nations, including the US, isn't growing at breakneck speed as is occurring in the Asian countries, for example.  Time for another favored nation!

Time for another way out to force a decline in the nation that's achieved the status of 'favored.'  That meant in this case, the introduction of derivatives and the use, once again, of leverage--the lack thereof--as a way to bring down the US economy via the housing industry.

Their schemata for economy disaster may work, but I think there's two factors mitigating against it:   
1) the world itself has changed such that it's not driven anymore by purely economics--vs. Karl Marx.  As seen in Egypt, today and in Russia since the 1990's, people strive for being themselves, maintaining a modicum of independence.  2) the US Military has over 700 installations across the world in instant contact with their command centers; and they not only patrol the seas, but outerspace.  This military, I believe, is not subject to the fluctuations in GDP and investment turns.

Well, this is just a Whack-O Theory revived per my readings once again into the globalization literature.