Cash Rules Everything: How Corporate Money Corrupts American Democracy

American democracy is in crisis—not simply because of political polarization or gridlock, but because of a deep-rooted structural corruption that places corporate profits over public good. Cash Rules Everything is a comprehensive educational course that exposes how the injection of corporate cash into political campaigns, policymaking, and legislation has subverted democracy in the United States.

This course investigates the bipartisan complicity of both the Democratic and Republican parties in sustaining a system where lawmakers are beholden to lobbyists, wealthy donors, and corporate interests rather than the people they represent. Through a combination of historical context, real-world case studies, and critical analysis, students will explore the mechanisms through which corporations purchase influence—from campaign finance and Super PACs to lobbying networks, ALEC-authored legislation, and corporate-backed think tanks.

Drawing from the landmark Princeton/Northwestern study that concluded the U.S. functions more as an oligarchy than a democracy, this course reveals how elite preferences consistently override the will of ordinary Americans. From Big Pharma and fossil fuels to Wall Street and healthcare conglomerates, students will examine how these interests have corrupted legislation, deepened inequality, and eroded public trust.

By the end of this course, learners will be equipped with the knowledge and tools to identify corporate influence in politics, understand the policy failures it causes, and explore pathways toward meaningful democratic reform. This course is ideal for activists, students, journalists, educators, and anyone seeking to understand and challenge the roots of systemic political corruption in America.