Former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn wrote a new foreword for Claire Provost and Matt Kennard's new book, Silent Coup.

In the foreword, published on Declassified UK, Corbyn highlighted that the book discusses corporate power, where the authors delved into the structure developed by the collapse of European empires, and explaining how it hinders democratic growth.

The book also reveals the corporations' operations, exposing their vulnerabilities when their activities are disclosed.

Political activists generally view their whole being within a framework limited to their nation-state, such as their way of living and working.

Corbyn said that Silent Coup extends beyond those limited horizons, discussing concepts of global thinking and internationalism, and focusing on global corporations' primary interest in power, market and supply chains.

'The visiting emperors'

The parliament member and former Labour leader recounted hearing former Technology Minister Tony Benn speak at a Labour conference in 1970.

He described meetings with large businesses, where representatives would come to his office with an air of superiority, acting like visiting emperors.

Benn highlighted that instead of cooperating with him as an elected minister, they would tell him what to do in terms of implementing democratic policies. These included expanding public ownership and increasing worker participation, which were all supported by voters.

The former minister highlighted the growing influence of corporate power over government policies, which were deemed necessary but insufficient. This prompted the Labour Party to consider ways to challenge this phenomenon on a global scale.

Corbyn used an example illustrating how water companies pollute British rivers and seas by allowing raw sewage to flow into them. He added that 300,000 rivers were polluted in 2022, with the government pledging to reduce discharges by 25% within the next three years.

Even if companies meet this objective, there would still be 225,000 annual discharges.

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Co-opting the state: public ownership

Corbyn suggested the most viable solution for this issue is for the government to opt for public ownership of water utilities.

Silent Coup discusses the global impact of corporate power, particularly how it undermines sustainable agricultural practices.

Introducing the concept of monoculture, which has replaced diversity in the agricultural industry and resulted in unsustainability, Corbyn recalled a childhood member of his father explaining how farmland near Shropshire had been fertile for more than one thousand years. 

This was managed sustainability through mixed farming, where one crop feeds another, resulting in a beneficial outcome which protects the environment.

However, since people have favored monoculture, their ranch mentality has led to the destruction of hedgerows, deforestation, and the reduced production of diverse farming.

Greenwashing

Large corporations have ultimately introduced the notion of greenwashing, especially in their agricultural practices, to produce significant profit.

Industrial agriculture has turned to herbicides, pesticides, and chemical fertilizers as an alternative to manure, having long-lasting effects on the food chain.

Corbyn described how BP portrays itself as a protector of the planet, spending heavily on this reputation while disregarding its role in oil spills and environmental harm. Similarly, ExxonMobil avoids disclosing the devastation in Ecuador, while Shell does not reveal what happened in Nigeria's Delta regions.

Silent takeover and persistent advocacy

In the foreword, Corbyn emphasized that the book demonstrates, through numerous examples, the silent takeover of corporate power against the government and the economy. This essentially produces a combination of corporate greed, consumerism, and a media unwilling to investigate the underlying realities.

The former leader recounted when he was in Colombia for the 2022 presidential elections, where he encountered a group of land rights activists. They discussed their bravery and efforts to combat corporate interests, including the assassination of their colleagues for their activism.

“We’ll continue campaigning for land rights. We’ll continue campaigning for education in rural communities. And we’ll continue campaigning for sustainability," one of the leaders told Corbyn when he asked what would happen if Gustavo Petro was not elected.

Corbyn also asked the group what they would do if Petro won.

“We’ll continue campaigning for land rights, we’ll continue campaigning for workers’ rights, we’ll continue campaigning for sustainable energy. Because political power comes from the power of communities to influence and pressure those in government. You can’t just hand it all to somebody high and mighty above you, to do it for you. It is about empowering people.”

Corbyn concluded the foreword by highlighting that Silent Coup educates, informs, empowers, and activates people about the prevalent issue.