This conservative trend went together with the enormous growth of international corporations, which sometimes have greater resources at their command than nation-states. These corporations want to increase their revenues without governmental constraints. The information revolution provides the tools for turning such capitalist dreams into realities. But the same tools can be turned the other way. Speculation in currencies, for example, has become worldwide.
Moguls can bring down nations.
Yet such speculation can also start a snowball effect that may threaten Wall Street itself, as almost happened a year and a half ago. This sum is not connected in any way to the actual production of goods. Cybernauts can strike it rich at the start of the day and wind up, at sundown, shirtless. Nor will they be the last. Wherever it is defied, the US will have to initiate warfare - not only to keep order, but to maintain its stance as world financial policeman.