What is the “Deep State”?

The term comes from a radical criticism by the left about how deep the capitalist state can go – how networked it is, from the military industrial complex to all the features of the modern, Hegelian/Hobbesian state.

A deep state can exist in a democracy which lacks control over government economic, military and intelligence organizations. Such secrecy is destructive to a democracy that is supposed to be under an elected civilian political leadership.

When government organizations can implement operations in secrecy without public oversight, they are effectively circumventing a democracy.

Does this exist in the United States? Let’s look at some historical events today.

Some of us may remember COINTELPRO. The FBI began COINTELPRO—short for Counterintelligence Program—in 1956 to disrupt the activities of the Communist Party of the United States. In the 1960s, it was expanded to include several other domestic groups, such as the Ku Klux Klan, the Socialist Workers Party, and the Black Panther Party.

All COINTELPRO operations were officially ended in 1971. Although limited in scope (about two-tenths of one percent of the FBI’s workload over a 15-year period), COINTELPRO was later rightfully criticized by Congress and the American people for abridging first amendment rights and for other reasons.

You may or may not recall Operation Mockingbird. Operation Mockingbird was a secret campaign by the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to influence media. Begun in the 1950s, it was initially organized by Cord Meyer and Allen W. Dulles, it was later led by Frank Wisner after Dulles became the head of the CIA. The organization recruited leading American journalists into a network to help present the CIA’s views, and funded some student and cultural organizations, and magazines as fronts. As it developed, it also worked to influence foreign media and political campaigns, in addition to activities by other operating units of the CIA.

A Project Mockingbird is mentioned in the CIA Family Jewels report, compiled in the mid-70s. According to the declassified version of the report released in 2007, Project Mockingbird involved wire-tapping of two American journalists for several months in the early 1960s.

The list goes on and on. Many incidents we hear about in the news have a more complicated history than most civilians could ever imagine. Government agencies are not always serving the people and this is contrary to democracy. The circumventing of democracy has a long history and is likely very careful and sophisticated in 2017.

The corporate-owned mass media will tell you the idea of a “deep state” is only “conspiracy theory,” but history is indisputable. This makes me think the mass media has been thoroughly compromised.

The bottom line here is government agencies are acting in secrecy outside of the democracy. Unfortunately for democracy, a secret “deep state” does seem to exist and operate in the US and probably in other countries as well.

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3 thoughts on “What is the “Deep State”?”

An excellent description of a “deep state”. I didn’t realize this word originated in the left side of the political spectrum. As soon as I read the “what it is” section, it struck me as being immediately obvious. Overall, a good overview of what a “deep state” is, and its drawbacks and threats. The Reich Was Right!!

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About Billy:

An author of both fiction and nonfiction books, Billy Roper is a former high school and junior high History, Civics, Economics, and Geography teacher. He has been a candidate for public office, a lifelong political activist, leader, and spokesman. Mr. Roper has a Bachelor's degree in History and Political Science and a Master of Liberal Arts degree in History with a specialty in Anthropology. He currently resides with his wife, stepson, and other animals in what will become New America. Mr. Roper may be reached through e-mail at roper_billy@yahoo.com.