Tobacco companies - the most powerful forces on earth

Perhaps it is not so surprising after all that Margaret Thatcher should progress from being Prime Minister to working for a tobacco company. As William Drake writes (in 'Smoke and Illusion', a booklet on computer disk sent to the Institute, and which is largely concerned with the subject of pesticide residues in tobacco):

'Tobacco companies are more powerful than any government or any other type of corporate structure'

It is little understood that the tobacco companies are the most powerful international force on earth - more powerful than any government or any other type of corporate structure, including arms merchants, other agricultural interests or international financial concerns. Tobacco taxes are the number one source of revenues for world governments.

Tobacco was also the most important single source of capital for the young government of the United States, and was the most important revenue source for the imperialist expansion of governments from the 16th to the 19th centuries - more important than all the gold and silver stolen from the new world, and far more important than any domestic or international business interests then or now.

William Drake, 527 West Jefferson, Wakamachie, Texas 75165, USA (tel 214 938 2927).

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