But satellites soon created multiple channels beyond the dictators' reach. The parallel development, in the business world, is the rise of consumer power. Few vendors today would dare dictate choice and terms to consumers. Consumerism has come to rule in politics, too. People want choice.
Communications technology lets people see that they have choices.
Most people who see their choices will want to freely exercise them. For instance, because an entrepreneur can choose where to locate a business, states and cities now must compete to offer favorable tax and regulatory laws. Because investor dollars now roam the planet at the speed of light, central bankers can't fool around with money supplies the way they used to. Reason for optimism, in my book. All rights reserved.