James Corbett – The 20th century was the century of oil. From farm to fork, factory to freeway, there is no aspect of our modern life that has not been shaped by the oil industry. But as the “post-carbon” era of the 21st century comes into view, there are those who see this as the end of the oiligarchy. They couldn’t be more wrong. This is the remarkable true story of the world that Big Oil is creating, and how they plan to bring it about.
https://youtu.be/0wlNey9t7hQ
Introduction
At the dawn of the 20th century, a new international order was emerging. One founded on oil. And by the end of the 20th century, that order was firmly established. Heating. Transportation. Industrial power. Plastic manufacturing. Pharmaceuticals. There is no facet of modern life that is not, one way or another, dependent on oil.
But the rulers of this oiligarchy–the Rockefellers at Standard Oil, the British royals at BP, the Dutch royals and the Rothschilds at Royal Dutch Shell–were not content with mere financial domination. The power that came with their near-total monopoly on the world’s most important commodity was enormous, and they had no qualms about using that power to re-make the world in their image.
As we saw in “How Big Oil Conquered the World,” the impact of the oiligarchs has been breathtaking. From the education system to the medical profession, from the green revolution to the gene revolution, from World War to the Gulf War, oil money has been used to shape every aspect of the world we live in. With the rise of the petrodollar in the 1970s, even the international monetary system itself rests on oil.
But now, in the 21st century, it seems that the old order, the oil order, is finally coming to an end.
AMY GOODMAN: “We begin looking at a new milestone in the growing campaign for divestment from the gas, oil and coal companies that are fueling climate change. May Boeve, Executive Director of 350.org, made the announcement just before our broadcast today.”
MAY BOEVE: “Today we’re announcing that as of today total divestment commitments have passed the $3.4 trillion mark. That’s $3.4 trillion of assets under management now fossil free.”
SOURCE: Is Oil & Gas the New Tobacco? Fossil Fuel Divestment Movement Reaches New Milestone – Democracy Now!
ROBERT DUDLEY: “In the oil and gas sector, we recognize the contribution of our activities and products to greenhouse gas emissions. Which is why the OGCI [Oil and Gas Climate Initiative] was setup.”
SOURCE: OCGI invests in innovative low emissions technologies
NARRATOR: “What began as a movement on US college campuses has reached the skyscrapers of high-finance.”
NARRATOR #2: “Globally nearly 200 institutions and thousands of individuals have moved a total of $50 billion in assets away from fossil fuels.”
DIVESTMENT ACTIVIST: “If we take our money, put it into renewable like solar panels, the world could be such a better place.”
SOURCE: Global Divestment Day 2015
The masses, having identified the oiligarchs and their destructive grip on the planet, see Big Oil waning and have begun to celebrate. To them, the promise of a post-carbon future represents the end of the oiligarchy. Continue reading . . .
SF Source The Corbett Report Oct 2017