Moral Algorithm: A Nation’s Forgotten Guiding Principle

John Adams set a clear foundation for America’s purpose:

“Government is instituted for the common good; for the protection, safety, prosperity, and happiness of the people; and not for the profit, honor, or private interest of any one man, family, or class of men and to reform, alter, or totally change the same, when their protection, safety, prosperity and happiness require it.”

This Moral Algorithm—a fundamental principle of governance—was the spark that birthed the nation. It was the driving force behind the Boston Tea Party, as American colonists rejected the British government’s decision to grant the East India Trading Company massive corporate tax breaks while local merchants were crushed under economic strain. The American Revolution wasn’t just about taxation—it was about rejecting corporate favoritism over the people.

Forgetting the Algorithm: The Great Depression and Its Lessons

Yet, as America grew, this guiding principle was ignored. The rise of corporate dominance and speculative greed led to the Great Depression, a total economic collapse driven by Wall Street gambling and government complicity. The market had become a playground for the wealthy, while the common good was forgotten.

It took Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry Truman to realign America with its founding ideals. FDR’s New Deal shattered the stranglehold of corporate greed, reinstituting financial regulations like Glass-Steagall to protect the economy from reckless speculation. His administration:

• Created Social Security, ensuring dignity for retirees.
• Broke up monopolies, restoring fair competition.
• Established the 40-hour workweek and minimum wage, lifting millions from poverty.

Truman continued this path with the GI Bill, expanding education and homeownership for working Americans, ensuring prosperity was shared, not hoarded. The result? The strongest middle class in U.S. history.

The Poisoning of America: Powell Memo & Reaganomics

Then came the corporate counterattack. The Powell Memo (1971), a strategic document written by future Supreme Court Justice Lewis Powell, called for corporate dominance in politics, media, and law to dismantle the economic balance FDR and Truman built.

Neoliberalism took root. Ronald Reagan’s policies prioritized corporate power over people, slashing taxes on the rich and dismantling labor protections. The repeal of Glass-Steagall under Bill Clinton further unleashed Wall Street greed, and Citizens United (2010) turned corporate money into a political weapon.

Since then, every president has operated within a system poisoned by corporate influence. The labor share of profits has plummeted, while financial crises—2008, pandemic bailouts, skyrocketing inequality—have become the norm.

Corporate Takeover: The Illusion of Choice

Mass corporate consolidation has erased true economic freedom. "Choice" is now an illusion as small businesses vanish under the weight of big-box chains and predatory monopolies. The velocity of money collapsed in 2020, signaling an economy where wealth no longer circulates—it accumulates in the hands of the few.

What we are witnessing today is not free-market capitalism—it is a hostile corporate takeover of democracy. Vulture capitalism has taken aim at America’s very foundation, converting citizens into consumers and public policy into profit-driven legislation.

Reawakening the Moral Algorithm

It is time to return to the gilded path of the Moral Algorithm. A government that serves the common good, not the corporate elite, is not a radical idea—it is the very foundation of America. To reclaim it, we must:

• Break up monopolies and restore small business competition.
• Reverse Citizens United and end corporate personhood.
• Reinstate financial regulations like Glass-Steagall to prevent economic collapse.
• Strengthen labor protections to restore fair wages and economic security.
• Reinvest in infrastructure, education, and social safety nets to ensure prosperity is shared.

The Boston Tea Party was a rejection of corporate control over government. Today, we face the same fight—but instead of the British crown, the oppressors wear suits and sit in boardrooms.

America can no longer be run by and for the highest bidder. We must reawaken the Moral Algorithm—not just to save our economy, but to preserve our democracy itself.