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World, in 2000, David claimed that, ever since the UN was created in 1945, he has been "one of its staunchest advocates". He continued: There are many who believe the United Nations, through its multiple missions of peacekeeping, humanitarian assistance and the support of sustainable economic development, is the embodiment of hope for mankind. I agree.* Thirdly, David sees a crucial role for NGOs, including the vari- ous philanthropic foundations (a sizeable number of which he controls), in addressing global problems. The message had already been delivered in 1989 by the then President of the Rockefeller Foundation, Peter Goldmark, Jr, at a three-day con- erence celebrating the 150th birthday anniversary of John D. Rockefeller, Sr. "Every major foundation should have an interna- tional dimension to its program," said Goldmark. "In a period of planetary environmental danger, global communications, inter- continental missiles, a world economy and an international mar- etplace of ideas and arts and political trends, there is simply no excuse not to." David admitted that Goldmark's speech came with is blessing, if not direction, with a decision made to be "mean- ingful" by focusing on "philanthropy for the 21st century" instead of merely praising John D. Rockefeller, Sr.” The true scope of David's "philanthropy for the 21st century" as become more evident throughout the 1990s, with the Rockefeller Foundation, the Rockefeller Family Fund and the Rockefeller Brothers Fund all providing funding to NGOs, either through direct grants or indirectly via organisations such as the Funders Network on Trade and Globalization. Many of the NGOs that have received Rockefeller-sourced grants—such as the World Development Movement, The Ruckus Society and the Center for Public Integrity—are ostensible opponents of the same corporate globalisation agenda that David has done so much to promote, while others are proponents of strengthened and "democratised" international institutions and laws. Nevertheless NGOs, through their currently unrivalled ability to circumvent normal diplomatic processes by claiming to represent "civil society", have proved to be very effective, generally publicly unaccountable organs for both eroding national sovereignty and building global governance. As some analysts have observed, NGOs are at the forefront of a "new diplomacy" that "devalues national sovereignty in favour of multilateral agreements" in which interest groups seek to "accomplish internationally what they cannot achieve domestically" (Davenport). The NGO approach, another analyst warned, involves the "undermining of decision-making systems based on David has also identified the World Trade Organization, NAFTA, the IMF and the World Bank as "constructive international activities".® In a "globalized economy", he once wrote in the Wall Street Journal, "everyone needs the IMF"—for without it, "the world economy would not become an idealized fantasy of perfectly liquid, completely informed, totally unregulated capital markets".” Secondly, as for the role of the MNCs, David notes that the retreat of state power caused by deregulation has provided many opportunities for the business sector to assume a more political role. In 1996, David argued that with governments reducing their social expenditures, it was up to "business leaders and their corporations [to] expand their involvement" in the "not-for-profit sector". Or, as he put it to Newsweek in 1999: In recent years, there has been a trend in many parts of the world toward democracy and market economies. That has lessened the role of government, which is something business people tend to be in favour of. But the other side of the coin is that somebody has to take the government's place, and business seems to me to be a logical entity to do that.” This includes supporting the UN, as in 1994 he told the Business Council of the United Nations that "business support for the numerous internationally related problems in which [the UN] is involved has never been more urgently needed".” Yet, in the early 1990s, David reportedly boasted that MNCs had moved beyond being able to help governments to being in control: We are now in the driver's seat of the global economic engine. We are setting government policies instead of watching from the sidelines." About the Author: 35. David Rockefeller, quoted in Business Affairs, April 1966, pp. 410-411 (emphasis Will Banyan, BA (Hons), Grad. Dip. Council for the United Nations Briefing, added). (Information Science), is a writer spe- Winter 1995, p. 1 (emphasis added). 46. Council of the Americas, 2000 Annual cialising in the political economy of 36. Rockefeller, The Council at 75, September Report, Council of the Americas, 2001, p. 4 globalisation. He has worked for local 1997, at the CFR website, http://www.cfr.org. (emphasis added). and national governments as well as 37. Rockefeller, Memoirs, ibid. (emphasis 47. David Rockefeller, "A Hemisphere in the some international organisations, and wee 419 (emphasis added) toon Weal Sak Semaacth, Caster . . . ibid., p. emphasis added). b was recently consulting on global Issues 39. imitate efel = "Facing Up to the Hard 48. Rockefeller, "What Private Enterprise for a private corporation. He is current- Facts of Inflation", Vital Speeches of the Day, Means to Latin America", p. 402; and David ly working on a revisionist history of the November 15, 1980, p. 76. Rockefeller, "The US Business Image in Latin New World Order. 40. David Rockefeller, "Multinationals Under America", Vital Speeches of the Day, October Will Banyan can be contacted by Siege: A Threat to the World Economy", The 15, 1964, p. 8. email at banyan007@rediffmail.com. Atlantic Community Quarterly, Fall 1975, pp. 49. Rockefeller, Memoirs, pp. 434-435. 313-314, 321. 50. For a recent scathing review of the impact Endnotes 41. ibid., pp. 322 (emphasis added). of these policies on the region, see William 31. David Rockefeller, Memoirs, Random 42. David Rockefeller, "International Financial — Finnegan, "The Economics of Empire: Notes House, 2002, p. 406 (emphasis added). Challenges", Vital Speeches of the Day, on the Washington Consensus", Harper's 32. David Rockefeller, "America's Future: A November 15, 1969, p. 86. Magazine, May 2003. Question of Strength and Will", The Atlantic 43. David Rockefeller, quoted in Anthony 51. Rockefeller, Memoirs, pp. 436-437. Community Quarterly, Spring 1979, p. 14. Sampson, The Money Lenders, Viking Press, 52. Rockefeller, "A Hemisphere in the 33. David Rockefeller, "In Pursuit of a 1981, p. 188. Balance". Consistent Foreign Policy: The Trilateral 44, Rockefeller, "Multinationals Under Siege", 53. David Rockefeller, "Give Clinton Fast Commission", Vital Speeches of the Day, June pp. 312-313. Track, Or We'll Pay the Price", New York 15, 1980, p. 517 (emphasis added). 45. David Rockefeller, "What Private Times, November 7, 1997. 34. Rockefeller, "America's Future", p. 19. Enterprise Means to Latin America", Foreign 54. Rockefeller, Memoirs, p. 438. 28 = NEXUS www.nexusmagazine.com OCTOBER — NOVEMBER 2003