THEY RULE

They Rule is an interactive visualization of the interlocking directories of the largest US companies. It shows that 87 of the top 100 US companies in 2021 were connected through shared directors on their boards. It allows visitors to browse through the board-room connections, and create maps which they can share with others. By clicking on the chair menu in the top left visitors can find links between companies and print out their maps.A few companies control much of the economy and oligopolies exert control in nearly every sector of the economy. The people who oversee these companies swap on and off the boards from one company to another, and in and out of government positions. These people run the most powerful institutions on the planet, and we have almost no say in who they are. This is not a conspiracy, they are proud to rule, yet these connections of power are not always visible to the public eye. They Rule offers a glimpse at these connections, it is by no means comprehensive, you can read more about why I think this matters here, and find more details on the resources page.