A People’s History of the United States

by

Howard Zinn

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on A People’s History makes teaching easy.

The Trilateral Commission Symbol Analysis

The Trilateral Commission Symbol Icon

A People’s History of the United States contains few symbols, since it’s a work of nonfiction. One interesting exception to the rule comes in Chapter Twenty, when Zinn discusses the Trilateral Commission, a 1973 meeting of political leaders from Japan, the U.S., and Western Europe. The Trilateral Commission brought leaders together to discuss the need to control their own populations and strengthen corporate interests. Thus, the Trilateral Commission is a powerful symbol of the Establishment: the alliance between the most powerful intellectuals, politicians, and businessmen, designed to help them maintain their power.

The Trilateral Commission Quotes in A People’s History of the United States

The A People’s History of the United States quotes below all refer to the symbol of The Trilateral Commission. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
The American People Theme Icon
).
Chapter 20 Quotes

The Trilateral Commission apparently saw itself as helping to create the necessary international links for the new multinational economy. Its members came from the highest circles of politics, business, and the media in Western Europe, Japan, and the United States. They were from Chase Manhattan, Lehman Brothers, Bank of America, Banque de Paris, Lloyd's of London, Bank of Tokyo, etc. Oil, steel, auto, aeronautic, and electric industries were represented. Other members were from Time magazine, the Washington Post, the Columbia Broadcasting System, Die Zeit, the Japan Times, The Economist of London, and more.

Related Symbols: The Trilateral Commission
Page Number: 561
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire A People’s History LitChart as a printable PDF.
A People’s History of the United States PDF

The Trilateral Commission Symbol Timeline in A People’s History of the United States

The timeline below shows where the symbol The Trilateral Commission appears in A People’s History of the United States. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 20: The Seventies: Under Control?
The Establishment Theme Icon
Radicalism Vs. Reform Theme Icon
Militarism and Conquest Theme Icon
...statement ever made by an Establishment adviser.” Huntington presented his paper in 1973 to the Trilateral Commission , a meeting of political leaders from Japan, the U.S., and Western Europe, and advised... (full context)
The Establishment Theme Icon
Another issue facing the Trilateral Commission —and, for that matter, the powerful elite of all countries—was the growth of a truly... (full context)