ABSTRACT
Throughout American history, concern about the power of organized interests has never been far from the surface. Indeed, the growth of the republic can almost be described in terms of successive waves of populist revolt against the undue influence of organized groups and, in particular, private corporations. Woodrow Wilson’s characterization (above) came after more than twenty years of public disquiet at the operations of the big companies. During the 1920s, corporate power was regarded more benignly, with capitalism flour-
ishing as never before. The Depression transformed this image, however, and not until the 1950s did the benevolent view of private power return. By the 1970s, the critique returned to the center of the political stage, with popular opprobrium directed at those companies responsible for pollution, consumer exploitation, and discrimination against women and minorities. Even during the boom years of the late 1990s, criticism of corporate power was leveled at HMOs, oil companies, and larger airlines. Criticism of other organized interests-labor, promotional groups-has been more fragmented, although at any particular time a particular group may be the subject of public criticism, as were the labor unions during the 1940s and again during the 1980s.
