A well-known American politician, John C. Calhoun was a senator from South Carolina and the vice president of two different presidents. America was undergoing fast change at the time he lived, with new economic forces and technological advancements reshaping society. The increasing influence of big businesses and financial institutions in politics was one of his most prominent worries.

Calhoun noted that these influential groups were forming alliances and influencing public policy in a big way, frequently at the expense of regular people. He believed that the decision-making process was dangerously shifting from direct democracy to one controlled by special interests. He felt that this change endangered the core tenets of American government.

Think of these massive financial institutions and corporations as a giant octopus with tentacles that extend into every branch of government. Each tentacle stands for a distinct business or interest group that collaborates to extract funds from banks and use them to sway lawmakers and public policy. This metaphor demonstrates how these disparate interests unite to create a powerful force inside the government.

Calhoun was concerned that the people's will would be overshadowed as this combined power increased. According to him, a concentration of power like this could breed corruption and jeopardize the democratic process, which holds that all citizens should have an equal voice. His observations are still pertinent today because discussions about corporate influence in politics are still prevalent in contemporary culture.

Calhoun sought to raise awareness of this problem and promote a return to more equitable governance that gave all citizens' needs—rather than just those of those with substantial political or financial clout—priority in his writings and speeches.