The Dictatorship of Woke Capital:
Stephen R. Soukoup (Encounter, $33.99, 200 pages)
Stephen Soukoup, a finance professional is the senior commentator for The Political Forum and a fellow in culture and the economy at the Culture of Life Foundation. In his new book The Dictatorship of Woke Capital, he shows how the Marxist march through the institutions has made its way to the top of corporate America. The left-wing do-gooders have infiltrated the highest echelons of business and now use their financial power – the power of capital — to try to influence public policy and private behaviour. The first half of the book is a history of Marxism and progressivism, culminating in an explanation on how the devotees of these philosophies were not content to exercise their power through the administrative state. As anti-establishment types took over the bureaucracy and infested academia, it soon became clear there were not enough jobs for them all in state institutions. Corporate management types, stewed in progressive institutions, sought to purchase moral standing through their business activities. As Soukoup points out, there is no shortage of groups willing to provide moral guidance to corporations, from the Southern Poverty Law Center (which opposes racism but has branched out to condemn religious conservatives) to the gay activist Human Rights Campaign. They bully, cajole, or persuade companies to set up diversity and inclusion offices, donate to fashionable causes, and even exert political influence. One of the first stories Soukoup uses to illustrate the politicization of corporate America was Disney, Netflix and Warner Media “attempting to undermine the will of the people of Georgia … to alter abortion policy” by threatening boycotts over the state’s law banning abortion after a fetal heartbeat can be detected. Another example is Apple taking states to task for protecting religious liberty, which Apple CEO Tim Cook said is code for discrimination against individuals who identify as homosexual and transgender. Many readers will recall a time when the Left opposed corporate involvement in political activities. That was before the radicals took over businesses or businesses became too afraid to stand up to radical groups. Soukoup’s book is an excellent account of the shift. His conclusion that this politicization of business is unlikely to end until one side or the other is convinced it has lost the culture war is a little harsh, but it is difficult to see how it might otherwise end.
