Real Implications of Business vs. Politics

As globalization becomes more ingrained in our society, we see a growing collaboration between big business and politics. As corporations move overseas, foreign relations become more and more relevant, while a nation's authority is no longer dictated by militaristic strength as much as economic influence. Consequently, business and government have come to rely on each other as their common interests become more connected.

A recent example of economic interests’ influence on foreign relations came from the House of Representative’s declaration of the Armenian Genocide last month. Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the House planned to pass a resolution that named the death of over a million Armenians during World War I at the hands of the Ottoman Empire a genocide. Yet to this day, modern-day Turkey stoutly sticks to its argument that the killings were a natural side effect of the war and not an "organized campaign," as many Muslims died as well as the Christians believed to have been persecuted (cnn.com). As the resolution was expected to come to a vote in Congress, Turkey threatened to sever all logistical ties with the United States if it went any further, claiming bonds with America would be forever damaged. Currently, Incirlik air base in Turkey is a crucial location for U.S. supplies coming in and out of Iraq, over 70%. The loss of this military stronghold would be devastating for the United States military, and the Pentagon was quick to warn Congress against pushing the document any further.

Here, although the resolution would in theory be nice for recognizing the struggles of a generation of Armenians, it would have no direct impact on any facet of American society. While on the other hand, its passing would have catastrophic implications on the economical aspects of the Iraq War. Consequently, it is understandable how business plays a big role in current politics, and often influences decisions made in regards to foreign diplomacy.