In sharp contrast to liberal critics and political analysts, this researcher is busy uncovering the real centers of power that govern and shape our capitalist societies. In this part 1 he provides a "brief introduction to the Group of Thirty, its members, and its influence". He is able to do this because we of the 99 Percent have so far provided him with the funds necessary to do this vital work.
I was initially surprised that I had never heard of the "Group of Thirty" before. Being retired, I try to use my time to be informed about the realities of life in a capitalist society whose ruling class does everything it can to hide the real decision-makers. It is mostly because there are a few independent researchers like Marshall that we learn of them and their organizations, and their critical role in shaping events in today's world.
This organization is a bit different from all the other such named groups (G-7, G-8, G-20) named in mainstream media: they are mostly formal political or financial office holders who often merely represent the real capitalist decision-makers. The people in this group are decision-makers in key financial and investment organizations who function mostly behind political events to control those events, and directly or indirectly appoint formal governing office holders. The fact that this group's website provides no information on how one becomes a member suggests that members are selected by existing members, or maybe by a select inner group within the organization.
To be sure, the G-30 are one among many such groups as Marshall indicates in this report. They constitute a network of leading policy organizations whose members frequently serve in many of these groups, and as such constitute a growing international capitalist ruling class. For example:
...Trichet holds a number of other highly influential positions. Apart from being Chairman of the G-30, he sits on the board of directors of the Peter G. Peterson Institute for International Economics, he is on the board of the European military contractor EADS, and he is chairman of the board for the influential European think tank BRUEGEL. Trichet is also, importantly, a member of the Group of Trustees in the global bank industry lobby known as the Institute of International Finance (IIF). He is additionally the European Chairman of the Trilateral Commission and is a member of the Steering Committee of the Bilderberg Meetings.