Is Goldman Sachs About to Take Over the World?

Conspiracy theorists rejoice, and prepare for some pretty serious food for thought. Goldman Sachs

, for many the very definition of what it is that Occupy Wall Street is fighting against, the epitome of corporate America, now has a senior adviser in charge of a Western nation (namely Italy). According to the

, “The ascension of Mario Monti to the Italian prime ministership is remarkable for more reasons than it is possible to count. By replacing the scandal-surfing Silvio Berlusconi, Italy has dislodged the undislodgeable. By imposing rule by unelected technocrats, it has suspended the normal rules of democracy, and maybe democracy itself. And by putting a senior adviser at Goldman Sachs in charge of a Western nation, it has taken to new heights the political power of an investment bank that you might have thought was prohibitively politically toxic.” Of course, Mario Monto is not the only member of the Goldman alumni to be in a place of prominence and significant power. The European Central Bank and the international Monetary Fund were both under ex-Goldman management until Wednesday when IMF European manager Antonio Borges resigned for personal reasons. The Independent ties the increasing power of Goldman in with its nickname, the “vampire squid”. “Even before the upheaval in Italy, there was no sign of Goldman Sachs living down its nickname as "the Vampire Squid", and now that its tentacles reach to the top of the eurozone, sceptical voices are raising questions over its influence. The political decisions taken in the coming weeks will determine if the eurozone can and will pay its debts – and Goldman's interests are intricately tied up with the answer to that question.” One thing that is certain is that Goldman Sachs is seeing its influence spread further and further, and achieve more and more positions of power.