Historically, murderous ideologies like those of Mao and Stalin gained traction by hiding behind benevolent promises ('free stuff'). This benign messaging makes them more deceptively dangerous than overtly aggressive ideologies like Nazism, which clearly signal their malevolence and are thus easier for the public to identify and reject.

Soft power is being deployed through culture. U.S. agencies have funded cultural products, like rap music in Bangladesh, with lyrics explicitly 'designed to get people in the streets.' These anthems are used to mobilize disaffected youth and create social division as part of a larger political destabilization strategy.

The National Endowment for Democracy (NED) was established in 1983 to overtly perform functions that had become too scandalous for the CIA to do covertly. Its founder admitted it was created to fund foreign groups that would be compromised if their funding was traced directly to the CIA.

A bureaucracy can function like a tumor. It disguises itself from the "immune system" of public accountability by using noble language ("it's for the kids"). It then redirects resources (funding) to ensure its own growth, even if it's harming the larger organism of society.

The academic theory behind 'people-powered' civil resistance has military origins. Seminal research by figures like Gene Sharp was directly funded with $50 million from the Pentagon's psychological operations unit to develop methods for bottom-up, state-sponsored coups under the guise of grassroots movements.

Agencies like Mossad strategically allow or even promote media about their successful operations (e.g., films like "Munich"). This acts as information warfare, shaping a global perception of their omnipotence. This cultivated mystique serves as a powerful deterrent, even if their true capabilities are more limited.

The focus of billionaire philanthropy has shifted from building physical public works (like libraries) to funding NGOs and initiatives that aim to fundamentally restructure society, politics, and culture according to their ideological visions.

In Russia, nominally private companies like Gazprom function as direct extensions of the state. Their international investments are designed not just for profit but to achieve geopolitical goals, creating a system where foreign policy, business interests, and the personal wealth of the ruling class are completely inseparable.

Sophisticated investors like George Soros operate a triangular model for profit. A hedge fund makes financial bets, an affiliated NGO (like Open Society) creates bottom-up social pressure, and government lobbying ensures top-down policy alignment. This coordinated effort shapes markets to guarantee the hedge fund's returns.