THE POWELL MEMO &

THE "CRISIS" OF DEMOCRACY  ​​

 

 

The Powell Memo was a confidential 1971 memo by corporate lawyer Lewis F. Powell Jr., arguing that American businesses needed to wage a long-term, organized campaign to defend themselves against attacks from social and political movements. Intended for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the memo laid out a strategic plan to counter what Powell saw as a broad attack on the free enterprise system.

​

In simple terms, the Powell Memo served as a wake-up call to American businesses, warning them that they were "losing a war for the soul of America" and needed to take their influence on public opinion, the media, and the government more seriously.

​

Key recommendations

​

The memo, officially titled "Attack on American Free Enterprise System," advised businesses to take aggressive and concerted action through several key areas:

​

Fund legal challenges: The memo urged businesses to use the courts to advance their interests, which eventually contributed to the rise of public interest law firms on the right.

​

Create think tanks: It called for the creation of scholars-on-call to provide intellectual ammunition for the conservative and pro-business movement. This had a significant influence on the founding of organizations such as the Heritage Foundation and the Cato Institute.

​

Monitor and influence media: Powell recommended constant surveillance of media outlets, complaining when coverage was deemed biased, and demanding "equal time" to present the business perspective.

​

Target universities: He argued that college campuses were a source of anti-business sentiment and suggested strategies to counter this trend, such as evaluating textbooks and promoting faculty with pro-business views.

​

Become politically active: The memo emphasized that corporations should utilize their influence, similar to labor unions and other special interest groups, by increasing lobbying efforts and supporting pro-business candidates.

​

Lasting influence

​

Though the memo was initially confidential, it was leaked and made public after Powell was nominated to the Supreme Court in 1971. Its long-term impact is debated but widely acknowledged to have inspired a new wave of corporate and conservative political organizing in the 1970s and beyond, shaping the modern political landscape.

​

The image below is an excerpt from this memo. The buttons above are links to deep dive podcasts that explore the history of this memo.