Rule by Secrecy (Jim Marrs)

Overview

The provided excerpts, likely from the book "Rule by Secrecy - The Hidden History" by Jim Marrs, present a comprehensive overview of various conspiracy theories and secret societies influencing global history and power structures. The text explores the purported existence of a hidden elite, including the Rothschilds and Rockefellers, and organizations such as the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), the Trilateral Commission, and the Bilderberg Group, arguing they orchestrate world events for wealth and control. Furthermore, the source connects modern conspiracies to ancient mystical traditions, including Freemasonry, the Knights Templar, and the Illuminati, tracing lineage to figures like the Merovingians and exploring alternative histories involving extraterrestrial origins (Anunnaki) and suppressed knowledge. Finally, the text suggests that these covert forces have manipulated major historical events, including the creation of the Federal Reserve System and the instigation of wars like World War I, World War II, and the Vietnam War.

This extensive source explores the clandestine operations of powerful, interrelated secret societies and wealthy elites, proposing that they manipulate global events, including economics and warfare, toward a goal of one-world government. Key themes include the pervasive influence of groups like the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), the Trilateral Commission, and the Bilderberg Group in government and media, alongside historical organizations such as Freemasonry, the Illuminati, and the Knights Templar. The text posits a deep-seated conspiracy theory, alleging that elite financial dynasties like the Rothschilds and Rockefellers have covertly funded and fomented major conflicts, controlled central banks like the Federal Reserve System, and even suppressed the truth about human origins through a reinterpretation of ancient Sumerian texts concerning extraterrestrial beings called the Anunnaki. Ultimately, the purpose of this material is to challenge conventional history and urge individuals to seek knowledge and personal responsibility to combat these forces of domination.

Mahanism as the Formal Doctrine of ‘Rule by Secrecy’

President John F. Kennedy once warned the American People against the dangers of secrecy, his words hit deep. While many today feel compelled to make their argument for who the enemy of the people is (and there are many parties), I argue in the expose below that SECRECY ITSELF is the oldest and most formidable enemy of man.

I highly suggest seeing the Masters Mahan Podcast: https://linktr.ee/mastersmahan

Master Mahan

Mahan and Mahabone

The Masonic term “Mahabone” (a stand-in word for the “lost word of Freemasonry / the Lost Phallus of Osiris”) is simply “Mahan” when you remove the ‘Beth’

Urban's Expose on Mahanism

Watch my Expose on Mahanism: https://theofficialurban.substack.com/p/secret-combo-expose

Shorts

Masters Mahan Clip: What is Mahanism?

The Masters of the Secret Combination Clip

The Anunnaki Hypothesis: An Alternative History of Human Origins

Introduction: Beyond Darwin and Dogma

For centuries, humanity has grappled with the ultimate question of our origins, framed by two familiar and deeply flawed narratives: scientific evolution and religious creation. Darwinism offers a model of gradual development, yet it remains haunted by glaring gaps in the fossil record, most notably the so-called “missing link” between early hominids and modern humans. Creationism, conversely, presents a faith-based account of divine genesis that lies outside the realm of historical or scientific verification, demanding belief rather than evidence.

This document reveals a third model, one that steps beyond this tired debate. It is a history carefully edited out of our textbooks, derived from the astonishingly detailed records of Sumer—the world's first civilization. This hypothesis reveals that humanity is not the product of blind evolution or a singular divine act, but was instead deliberately created by intelligent beings who came to Earth from another world.

1. The Sudden Dawn: The Mystery of Sumer

Approximately 6,000 years ago, the civilization of Sumer appeared suddenly and fully formed in Mesopotamia, today's Iraq. Without any apparent precursor, the Sumerians emerged from the Stone Age possessing a sophisticated and inexplicably advanced body of knowledge. Their own records, hidden in plain sight within their cuneiform tablets, attribute this knowledge not to gradual discovery, but to the teachings of their gods.

The Sumerians possessed a mastery of complex subjects that scientists in our modern era would not rediscover for millennia:

Advanced Astronomy: They understood the 360-degree celestial sphere, the zodiac, and the 25,920-year precessional cycle of the Earth's axis, known as the "Platonian Year." Astonishingly, their texts accurately describe outer planets like Uranus and Neptune, which were not "rediscovered" until 1781 and 1846, respectively.
Sophisticated Mathematics: They developed and utilized a sexagesimal (base-60) mathematical system. This system is the direct ancestor of our modern methods for measuring time (60 seconds in a minute, 60 minutes in an hour) and space (the 360 degrees of a circle).
High Civilization: From their inception, the Sumerians had established systems of law, medicine, and kingship. They built towering temple-cities centered around ziggurats, or "Holy Mountains," and created the world's first known writing system.

This sudden explosion of high culture poses a fundamental question: How did a supposedly primitive people acquire such profound knowledge so quickly? The Sumerians themselves provided a clear answer: it was given to them by the Anunnaki. This answer, recorded in their own ancient texts, recasts the Sumerians not as inexplicable prodigies, but as the first students of powerful beings who were not of this world.

2. Those Who from Heaven to Earth Came: The Anunnaki

The Sumerians called their teachers and gods the Anunnaki, a term that literally means "Those Who Came to Earth from Heaven." This name resonates with other ancient texts, including the biblical term Nefilim, which author Zecharia Sitchin translates from the original Hebrew not as "giants," but as "Those Who Were Cast Down."

According to Sumerian cosmology, the Anunnaki came from a planet within our own solar system called Nibiru, or the "Planet of the Crossing." Their texts describe Nibiru as having a vast, 3,600-year elliptical orbit that takes it far beyond Pluto before it returns to pass through the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.

The Anunnaki's mission on Earth was singular and pragmatic: to obtain large quantities of gold. Their purpose was not ornamentation or wealth, but survival. Their home world's atmosphere was deteriorating, and their scientists determined that suspending a shield of finely ground gold dust in their upper atmosphere was the only way to repair it. The Anunnaki’s desperation for gold directly led to the single most pivotal event in planetary history: the creation of a new species to serve their needs.

3. The Creation of the Worker: Making Man in Our Image

After laboring for millennia, the Anunnaki miners staged a mutiny. Faced with a rebellion and a critical need for gold, the Anunnaki leadership council sought a new solution. It was proposed by their chief scientist and leader, Enki: they would create a primitive worker—the Adama—by taking an existing hominid species already evolving on Earth and genetically upgrading it with Anunnaki DNA.

This ancient account presents a striking parallel to the biblical narrative of creation. The Book of Genesis, which scholars acknowledge was compiled from much older Sumerian texts, states:

"Let us make man in our image, after our likeness...." —Genesis 1:26

According to the Anunnaki hypothesis, the plural terms "us" and "our" are not a royal or divine plurality, but a literal reference to the Anunnaki council approving Enki's plan to create a hybrid being. The familiar story of Adam and Eve is a condensed and altered version of these original Sumerian accounts.

Anunnaki Account (from Sumerian Texts)	Biblical Account (from Genesis)
The Adama were created in a laboratory in Africa through genetic engineering.	Adam was created in the Garden of Eden.
The key Anunnaki figures were Enki (the wise scientist) and Enlil (the stern commander).	The main figures were God and the Serpent.
Enki, against Enlil's wishes, gave the Adama the genetic ability to procreate.	The Serpent tempted Eve to eat from the Tree of Knowledge.
The Adama were expelled from E.DIN (the Anunnaki settlement) to work as farmers.	Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden for their transgression.

With humanity now able to reproduce and populate the Earth, the Anunnaki's role shifted from creators to overseers. Their efforts to manage their burgeoning workforce recast many of the Bible's most iconic stories in a new and startling light.

4. Rewriting History: The Anunnaki Role in Human Mythology

The Anunnaki's direct involvement in human affairs, as described in Sumerian records, provides a coherent framework for understanding events that have shaped human mythology and history, revealing them as acts of planetary resource management.

The Great Flood: The biblical story of the Deluge originates in the Sumerian Epic of Gilgamesh. In this original version, the flood is a natural, cyclical cataclysm caused by Nibiru's gravitational pull during a close pass to Earth. The Anunnaki, foreseeing the disaster, debated whether to let their creation perish. It was Enki who secretly instructed a faithful human (the basis for Noah) to build a vessel and save his family, preserving the human labor force.
The New "Gods": After the Flood, the Anunnaki leadership divided the Earth into different regions. They established new cities and installed human kings to act as intermediaries between them and the growing human population. These Anunnaki rulers became the "gods" of the ancient world, forming the pantheons of Sumer, Egypt, and beyond. For example, the Anunnaki leader Marduk became the primary Egyptian deity, Ra.
The Tower of Babel: The Sumerian account reframes this story not as an act of human arrogance, but as an attempt by humanity to build its own shem—a term translated not as "name" but as "sky vehicle" or rocket ship. To prevent their human assets from unifying and achieving independent space travel, the Anunnaki confused their languages and scattered them across the Earth, ensuring their division and control.
Ancient Wonders: This hypothesis reveals that some of the world's greatest ancient monuments were built as Anunnaki infrastructure. The Great Pyramids of Giza, for example, were not tombs but massive, artificial mountains designed as sophisticated landing beacons for the Anunnaki spaceport located on the Sinai Peninsula.

The Anunnaki's direct influence shaped human civilization for millennia, but their greatest legacy was not left in stone, but in a "Secret of Secrets" passed down through the ages.

5. Conclusion: A Secret Legacy

The Anunnaki hypothesis presents a radical and cohesive narrative: humanity is a hybrid species, genetically engineered by extraterrestrial visitors to be their workers. These powerful beings became our first kings, our first teachers, and our first gods. They gave us civilization and then, for reasons of their own, decided to rule from behind the scenes, leaving humanity to chart its own course but never truly on its own.

The core of this knowledge—the "Secret of Secrets"—was not lost but preserved and passed down through a chain of secret societies, from the ancient Mystery Schools of Egypt and Greece to the Knights Templar and the inner circles of Freemasonry.

This alternative history leaves us with a challenging and profound final thought, articulated by authors like William Bramley and David Icke. If this account is true, it implies that humanity may be, in a sense, a "slave race" or a "possession." The conflicts and limitations that have defined our history may not be entirely of our own making, but rather the result of a hidden, long-standing "alien agenda" that continues to subtly influence our world today.

A Beginner's Guide to Secret Societies: The Hidden Hands Shaping Our World

"The world is governed by very different personages from what is imagined by those who are not behind the scenes." — Benjamin Disraeli

Is the grand arc of human history a chaotic series of random accidents, or is it shaped by intentional, clandestine planning? This question lies at the heart of a great historical debate, pitting the "accidental" view against the "conspiratorial" one—a perspective that might be better described as a belief in cause and effect. As President Franklin D. Roosevelt, himself an insider, once remarked, "In politics, nothing happens by accident. If it happens, you can bet it was planned that way."

For centuries, influential figures have warned of an "invisible government" operating behind the curtain of public life. In 1922, New York Mayor John F. Hylan described this force in stark terms:

"The real menace of our Republic is the invisible government which like a giant octopus sprawls its slimy length over our city, state and nation. ... At the head of this octopus are the Rockefeller-Standard Oil interests and a small group of powerful banking houses generally referred to as the international bankers [who] virtually run the U.S. government for their own selfish purposes."

This guide provides a clear, accessible overview of the most influential secret societies implicated in this grand design. Drawing exclusively from the provided source material, we will explore their alleged origins, goals, and interconnectedness. We will examine the primary methodology they are said to employ—the Hegelian dialectic of creating a problem (thesis) to provoke a public reaction (antithesis) that demands a pre-planned solution (synthesis). By piecing together this puzzle, we begin to uncover who really rules the world.

1. The Modern Architects of Power: A Global Network

We begin with the modern, interconnected policy groups that researchers allege exert immense influence over global politics and finance today. These organizations are not ancient cults meeting in candle-lit chambers, but elite think tanks operating at the highest levels of government and corporate power, forming the public-facing boardrooms of a globalist agenda.

1.1. The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR): The American Power Center

The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is often described as the "granddaddy of the modern American secret societies." Its influence on U.S. policy is considered vast, though its true aims are hidden from public view.

Origins and Purpose The CFR was born in 1919 from the ashes of World War I. It grew out of "the Inquiry," a group of prominent men gathered by Colonel Edward Mandell House, President Woodrow Wilson's top adviser, to plan the postwar world. Following the Paris Peace Conference, American and British delegates resolved to form an "Institute of International Affairs" with branches in both countries. The American branch became the CFR; the English branch became the Royal Institute of International Affairs (RIIA). The alleged goal of this Anglophile network was to guide public opinion toward accepting a one-world government, or globalism.

Founders and Key Members The CFR's founding members included a roster of influential figures: Colonel House, syndicated columnist Walter Lippmann, and the Dulles brothers—John Foster Dulles (later Secretary of State) and Allen Dulles (later Director of the CIA). Initially, its membership was heavily influenced by the interests of financier J. P. Morgan. Over time, however, the Rockefeller consortium replaced the Morgan group as the dominant force within the council.

Methods of Influence The historical record, as detailed in the source, reveals a near-total infiltration of U.S. administrations by CFR members. The council exerts its influence in two primary ways:

Government Infiltration: Since the council's founding, nearly every U.S. administration has been "packed" with its members. The statistics are staggering for an organization of only 3,200 people: through 1988, 14 secretaries of state, 14 treasury secretaries, and 11 defense secretaries have been CFR members. Nearly every CIA director since Allen Dulles has also belonged to the council.
Control of Information: The CFR shapes policy through its influential journal, Foreign Affairs, and its off-the-record "Corporation Service" briefings. In these secret meetings, top government officials provide financially advantageous information to subscribing businessmen—a practice author John Kenneth Galbraith called a "scandal."

The Core Allegation Admiral Chester Ward, a former Judge Advocate General of the Navy and a CFR member for 16 years, summarized the group's ultimate aim. He claimed its goal is the "submergence of U.S. sovereignty and national independence into an all-powerful one-world government."

1.2. The Trilateral Commission and the Bilderberg Group: The International Extension

The seamless movement of members between the CFR, Trilateral Commission, and Bilderberg group suggests a unified agenda. But to understand the origins of this network's power and loyalty, one must look beyond these 20th-century policy groups to the centuries-old "brotherhoods" where this globalist ideology is first instilled.

The Trilateral Commission

Creation Story: Founded in 1973 by banker David Rockefeller and academic Zbigniew Brzezinski, the Trilateral Commission was created to foster "closer cooperation" among North America, Western Europe, and Japan. Brzezinski's plan was first presented at a secret Bilderberg meeting in 1972.
Alleged Goal: Brzezinski envisioned a technologically advanced society where "National sovereignty is no longer a viable concept." The commission was seen as a step toward a "community of the developed nations," which itself was a more attainable step toward world government.
Influence: The commission gained a reputation as a "Shadow Government" because its members often implement the very policies they developed for the commission once they enter government. A 1975 Trilateral paper titled The Crisis of Democracy, which argued for "moderation in democracy," was co-authored by Samuel P. Huntington. He later joined the Carter administration and helped create the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), an organization with vast emergency powers.

The Bilderberg Group

The Most Secretive Group: The Bilderberg Group is an ultrasecret international forum with no official name, agenda, or membership list. It was created in the early 1950s by Dr. Joseph Retinger and Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands. The source reveals a damning detail about its founder: Prince Bernhard was a former member of the Nazi SS and an employee of the German chemical cartel I.G. Farben.
Key Members and Royal Connections: Prominent American CFR members like George Ball, Dean Rusk, and Henry Kissinger have attended its annual meetings. The group has exceptionally close ties to European nobility, including the British royal family.
Alleged Power: Researchers claim the Bilderbergers select world leaders. Arkansas governor Bill Clinton was invited to its 1991 meeting just before he ran for and won the presidency. The source alleges the group put him in the Oval Office and was also responsible for ousting British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Its power is monumental; a former U.S. ambassador acknowledged that "the Treaty of Rome, which brought the [European] Common Market into being, was nurtured at Bilderberg meetings."

Comparative Analysis

This table helps clarify the relationships and distinctions between these three powerful, interconnected groups.

Feature	Council on Foreign Relations (CFR)	Trilateral Commission	Bilderberg Group
Primary Focus	American-centric, guiding U.S. foreign policy toward globalism.	Fostering cooperation between North America, Western Europe, and Japan.	International, unofficial forum for policy discussion among North American and European elite.
Secrecy Level	Publishes membership, but goals and operations are secret.	Publishes membership, but inner workings are secret.	Both agenda and membership are kept secret from the public.
Key Founder(s)	Colonel House, Walter Lippmann, Allen & John Foster Dulles	David Rockefeller, Zbigniew Brzezinski	Prince Bernhard, Dr. Joseph Retinger

2. The Secret Brotherhoods: Forging the Elite

Behind the modern policy groups lie older, more ritualistic secret societies. These brotherhoods serve as recruiting and indoctrination grounds for future leaders, binding them together with oaths, shared secrets, and a common philosophy.

2.1. The Order of Skull and Bones: America's "Brotherhood of Death"

What It Is Skull and Bones is a highly secret fraternal order at Yale University. Known internally as "The Order" or by its chapter number, 322, it is arguably the most elite and powerful secret society in the United States.

Origins and Symbols The order was founded at Yale in 1832 by William Huntington Russell and Alphonso Taft. The source reveals two sinister symbolic connections to its origins. First, Russell is said to have brought the society's charter from a German secret society, possibly the Illuminati; this is supported by the fact that its skull and crossbones emblem is identical to the old Illuminati crest. Second, the "Brotherhood of Death" insignia is linked to the Russell family's enrichment from the opium smuggling trade during the Opium Wars, connecting the pirate symbol to a dark and concrete source of wealth.

The "Core Group" Membership is drawn from a core group of 20-30 elite American families, including names like Whitney, Lord, Harriman, Rockefeller, and Bush. The source suggests the order functions as an "informal Establishment eugenics project," ensuring that the bloodlines of the elite are preserved and strengthened through carefully chosen intermarriages.

Influence and Purpose According to author and researcher Anthony C. Sutton, Skull and Bones is the secret group within the Council on Foreign Relations that more or less controls it. The Order acts as a primary recruiting agency for the globalist agenda, often referred to as the "New World Order."

2.2. The Illuminati: The Master Plan

The Historical Order The original Order of the Illuminati was founded on May 1, 1776, by Adam Weishaupt, a professor in Bavaria. Its core philosophy held that humanity is not inherently bad, but has been perverted by organized religion and the state. The Illuminati sought to replace these institutions with a new global society guided by pure reason.

The Ultimate Goal The Illuminati's alleged goal was nothing less than a new world government administered by its own initiated members. The order was infamous for its guiding philosophy that "the end justifies the means," suggesting that any action, no matter how ruthless, is acceptable if it advances the ultimate goal.

Infiltration of Freemasonry A pivotal moment came in 1777 when Weishaupt joined a Masonic lodge in Munich. This move allowed him to graft the Illuminati's revolutionary political agenda onto the vast, pre-existing international network of Freemasonry, effectively creating a secret society within a secret society.

Modern Legacy Although the Bavarian government outlawed the Illuminati in 1785, researchers believe its philosophy was carried across Europe and to America by fleeing members. Its plan is said to have found modern expression in the agendas of later groups, including the Round Tables, the CFR, and the Trilateral Commission.

2.3. Freemasonry: The Ancient Bedrock

The Oldest and Most Powerful Freemasonry is described in the source material as the oldest and most powerful secret society in history. Its influence is alleged to be deeply embedded in the founding of the United States and other major world events.

The Two Doctrines According to 19th-century Masonic scholar Albert Pike, Freemasonry has two distinct doctrines: one for the public and one for the inner circle.

The Public Doctrine: For the outer circle and lower-degree members, Freemasonry presents itself as a simple fraternal organization that promotes charity, social skills, and fellowship.
The Concealed Doctrine: Reserved for the "Masters" and the inner circle, this secret doctrine is the "perpetuation of the philosophical mysteries and initiations of the ancients."

Alleged Connection to Lucifer The source highlights a controversial claim about the nature of this inner doctrine. It points to a dualistic belief system, citing Masonic author W.L. Wilmshurst:

"The one says 'Via Crucis' [through the Cross]; the other 'Via Lucis' [through Lucifer]; yet the two ways are but one way."

This statement is interpreted by researchers as evidence of a Gnostic belief in two equal, opposing gods—one of good and one of evil—a concept that directly challenges traditional Christian theology.

Historical Influence Freemasonry's fingerprints are all over early American history. The Boston Tea Party was allegedly "entirely Masonic," carried out by members of a Boston lodge. Furthermore, most of the signers of the Declaration of Independence were reportedly Freemasons.

The ambitious, world-altering philosophies of groups like the Illuminati and the globalist aims of Skull and Bones require more than just influence; they demand near-limitless financial power. This leads directly to the international banking dynasties who, according to the source, provide the fuel for this grand agenda.

3. The Money and the Power: The Financiers of the Agenda

Any plan for global control requires immense funding. Researchers point to a small, interconnected group of international banking families as the source of this power, alleging that they have financed wars, revolutions, and political movements to further their agenda.

3.1. The Banking Dynasties: Rothschild, Rockefeller, and Morgan

The Rothschilds

Origins: The dynasty began with Mayer Amschel Bauer (who later changed his name to Rothschild) in 18th-century Frankfurt, Germany.
Source of Power: The Rothschilds gained immense wealth and power by making loans to governments and royalty. Their signature strategy was playing the "balance of power" game, often funding both sides in a conflict to ensure that whichever side won, the dynasty would profit.
The Guiding Quote: Mayer Rothschild's philosophy is captured in his famous statement: "Permit me to control the money of a nation, and I care not who makes its laws."

The Morgans and Rockefellers

American Fronts: The J. P. Morgan and John D. Rockefeller empires are presented as the American counterparts and agents of the European Rothschilds. The source alleges that the Rothschilds "preferred to operate anonymously in the United States behind the facade of J. P. Morgan and Company."
Monopolistic Power: These American dynasties dominated U.S. industry. Rockefeller's Standard Oil controlled 95% of American oil production by 1880, while Morgan's U.S. Steel and General Electric held similar monopolies in their respective fields, ruthlessly eliminating all competition.

3.2. The Crown Jewel: Creating the Federal Reserve System

The ultimate goal for these international bankers was to gain control over America's money supply by creating a privately owned central bank, modeled on the Bank of England.

The Secret Meeting The plan for what would become the Federal Reserve System was conceived at a secret meeting in 1910 at J. P. Morgan's private resort on Jekyll Island, Georgia. In attendance were powerful men representing the interests of the Morgan, Rockefeller, and Warburg banking empires.

The Deception Passing the Federal Reserve Act in 1913 required a masterful campaign of political deception, a classic application of the Hegelian dialectic:

Thesis (Create a Problem): The bankers allegedly orchestrated the financial Panic of 1907 to create a public outcry for a "stable" national banking system.
Antithesis (Create "Opposition"): To give the impression that their plan was anti-Wall Street, the bankers publicly denounced the Federal Reserve Act, even though it was nearly identical to their own secret proposal. This manufactured the illusion of grassroots support for the bill.
Synthesis (The Pre-Planned Solution): The bankers financed Theodore Roosevelt's third-party presidential run to split the Republican vote. This ensured the election of their preferred candidate, Woodrow Wilson, who had privately pledged to sign the Federal Reserve Act into law.

The Result The passage of the act prompted a dire warning from Congressman Charles Lindbergh Sr. in 1913. He declared that the Federal Reserve System "establishes the most gigantic trust on earth" and that with the President's signature, "the invisible government by the money power... will be legitimized."

Conclusion: The "New World Order" Agenda

Bringing these threads together, the source material argues that a common goal links all these groups: the creation of a "New World Order." This is described as a one-world government with centralized control over global finance, politics, and social life, administered by a small, unelected elite. Their primary method, as demonstrated by the creation of the Federal Reserve, is the Hegelian dialectic: create a crisis to elicit a predictable public response, then offer the solution you wanted all along.

The Role of the Media A critical component of this alleged plan is the control of information. The source claims that the mass media is dominated by the same corporate and financial interests that populate these secret societies. This interlocking membership, it is argued, creates a conspiracy of silence, ensuring that the activities of these powerful groups are never subject to meaningful public scrutiny. Prominent media corporations with members in the CFR and Trilateral Commission include:

Time-Warner
Walt Disney Co.
CBS
General Electric (owner of NBC)
The New York Times Co.
The Washington Post

Individuals include Dan Rather, Diane Sawyer, David Brinkley, Ted Koppel, Barbara Walters, Tom Brokaw, and many other prominent reporters, anchors, and columnists.

Final Insight The source concludes that this centuries-long agenda is not driven by a specific race or religion, but by an insatiable "passion for money and power." This passion has drawn financial tycoons, academics, and political leaders into a tightly knit, mutual-aid society that operates beyond the reach of democratic accountability.

A Call to Awareness The final message is a call for individual vigilance. Knowledge is power. The path to freedom requires us to question official narratives, seek out alternative information, and think for ourselves. For in the end, as the ancient scripture says, "the truth will make you free."

Rule by Secrecy: A Historical Analysis of Elite Networks and Global Power

1.0 Introduction: The Two Views of History

1.1 Setting the Context

The world is governed by very different personages from what is imagined by those who are not behind the scenes.
— Benjamin Disraeli

History, as it is commonly presented, unfolds through a chaotic series of accidents and coincidences. An alternative perspective, however, suggests a more deliberate and directed course of events. This viewpoint, articulated by figures like President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who remarked, "In politics, nothing happens by accident. If it happens, you can bet it was planned that way," posits that major world events are not the product of chance but the result of careful planning by a hidden elite. Understanding this alternative historiography is not merely an academic exercise; it is a strategic imperative for deciphering the true levers of global power and the long-term agendas that shape our world.

1.2 The Argument for Conspiracy

The dominant narrative, or "Establishment history" as researcher Anthony C. Sutton terms it, is the one sanctioned by major foundations and academic institutions. It is a history shaped and sanitized by gatekeepers whose grant-making power can accept or reject historical evidence based not on its merits, but on its acceptability to the prevailing power structure. This tightly controlled historical narrative has not gone unchallenged. Researchers who deviate from the official line often find their work marginalized, published by smaller presses with limited distribution. Even insider accounts face suppression; Carroll Quigley, an academic mentor to President Bill Clinton, saw his 1966 magnum opus, Tragedy and Hope, suddenly withdrawn by its publisher, an act he was "quite sure" was a deliberate suppression. These authors argue that the corporate-owned mass media has intentionally prevented any meaningful exposure of their findings.

1.3 Public Suspicion and the Power of Secrecy

The very act of suppressing dissenting views has ironically fueled public suspicion, creating a palpable distrust in official stories. A 1997 Scripps-Howard News Service poll captured this growing sentiment, finding that 51% of Americans believe federal officials were likely responsible for President John F. Kennedy's assassination, and more than a third suspect the U.S. Navy shot down TWA Flight 800. This chasm between official narratives and public belief extends to the highest levels of government. According to Webster Hubbell's memoir, President Bill Clinton, upon taking office, tasked him with finding out "who killed JFK," stating he "wasn't satisfied with the answers I was getting." Similarly, when then-CIA Director James Woolsey attempted to investigate information about UFOs, he was reportedly stymied, unable to obtain the relevant documents within his own agency's files. These accounts suggest the existence of powers that exceed even the authority of the nation's highest elected and appointed offices. The following analysis will examine the modern organizations alleged to wield this secret power.

2.0 The Modern Architects: A Triumvirate of Global Influence

2.1 The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR): The American Nexus

At the heart of the modern American power structure lies the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), often described as the granddaddy of contemporary secret societies. Founded in the aftermath of World War I, the CFR serves as a strategic nexus for the American political, financial, intelligence, and academic elite. Functioning as a de facto "invisible government," it provides a discreet forum where national policy is often shaped long before it reaches public discourse, guiding the nation's trajectory on the world stage.

2.1.1 Origins and Objectives

The CFR's strategic objective was globalist from its inception. The organization emerged in 1919 from "the Inquiry," a group gathered by Colonel Edward Mandell House, President Woodrow Wilson's most trusted advisor, to plan the postwar world. This group's vision was encapsulated in Wilson's "fourteen points," which called for the removal of "all economic barriers" and the formation of "a general association of nations." Following the U.S. Senate's failure to ratify the League of Nations, House and his associates met their British counterparts in Paris and resolved to form an "Institute of International Affairs." The British branch became the Royal Institute of International Affairs (RIIA), while the American branch, heavily backed by the J.P. Morgan financial empire, became the CFR. Its founding members included figures like John Foster Dulles and his brother Allen Dulles—a future Secretary of State and CIA Director, respectively.

2.1.2 Pervasive Government Influence

The CFR’s influence is most starkly illustrated by its deep and continuous penetration of the U.S. government. As documented by researchers James Perloff and Laurie Strand, the Council's membership rolls read like a roster of America's ruling class. Through 1988, CFR members have included:

14 Secretaries of State
14 Treasury Secretaries
11 Defense Secretaries
Nearly every CIA Director since Allen Dulles

The geopolitical calculus behind this influence was articulated by Admiral Chester Ward, a former CFR member, who stated that the group's ultimate goal is the "subordination of U.S. sovereignty and national independence to an all-powerful one-world government." The consistent presence of CFR members in the most critical cabinet positions ensures this globalist agenda remains a central, albeit unstated, tenet of American foreign policy.

2.2 The Bilderberg Group: The Transatlantic Power Brokers

Functioning as a highly secretive, international extension of the CFR's sphere of influence, the Bilderberg Group connects the European and American elite in a clandestine annual forum. Its strategic importance lies in its ability to facilitate off-the-record discussions where global policy is allegedly shaped far from public or governmental scrutiny. Despite the attendance of the world's most powerful politicians, financiers, and media moguls, the group maintains a level of secrecy so extreme that its very existence is often unknown to the general public.

2.2.1 Formation and Secrecy

The Bilderberg Group was formed in the early 1950s under the guidance of Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands—a former Nazi SS officer and major shareholder in Royal Dutch Shell—and Polish socialist Dr. Joseph Retinger. Its creation was facilitated by high-level American intelligence figures, including then-CIA Director Walter Bedell Smith and C.D. Jackson, President Eisenhower's "special consultant for psychological warfare." The group's extreme secrecy is its defining characteristic. Despite the regular attendance of prominent media owners and journalists, its meetings receive virtually no press coverage. As C. Gordon Tether of London's Financial Times wrote in 1975, "If the Bilderberg Group is not a conspiracy of some sort, it is conducted in such a way as to give a remarkably good imitation of one."

2.2.2 Policy and Influence

Bilderberg discussions have reportedly preceded and shaped major geopolitical events. According to former U.S. ambassador George McGhee, "the Treaty of Rome, which brought the [European] Common Market into being, was nurtured at Bilderberg meetings." Similarly, the group discussed establishing formal U.S. relations with China years before President Nixon's official diplomatic move. The group's role as a kingmaker is underscored by the attendance of future heads of state; both Margaret Thatcher and Bill Clinton were guests at Bilderberg meetings shortly before ascending to their nations' highest offices, suggesting that selection for leadership may occur within this secretive body.

2.3 The Trilateral Commission: Consolidating the Developed World

The Trilateral Commission represents a more recent and public-facing, yet still influential, evolution of this network. Founded in 1973 by David Rockefeller and Zbigniew Brzezinski, its stated purpose is to foster "closer cooperation" among the three major economic power centers: North America, Western Europe, and Japan. Strategically, it functions as a mechanism for managing the global economy and guiding the "community of the developed nations" toward a more integrated and centrally managed world system.

2.3.1 Brzezinski's Vision

The commission's ideological framework was laid out in Brzezinski's 1970 book, Between Two Ages. In it, he argued for a fundamental reordering of global politics, declaring that "National sovereignty is no longer a viable concept." He envisioned a future managed by a technocratic elite, predicting a "movement toward a larger community" that would be funded by a "global taxation system." Brzezinski saw this consolidation of developed nations not as an overly ambitious world government, but as a more attainable step that would serve as the nucleus for a future world order.

2.3.2 From Theory to Policy

The Commission's influence is evident in how its policy recommendations, formulated in private, have been translated into official government action. Its members, often the authors of these policy papers, frequently move into government positions where they can implement their own proposals.

Policy Paper/Author	Subsequent Government Role/Action
Samuel P. Huntington, The Crisis of Democracy	Appointed Coordinator of Security Planning for Carter's National Security Council; prepared the memorandum that led to the creation of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Richard Cooper, Task force on monetary policy	Became Undersecretary of State for Economic Affairs, presiding as the International Monetary Fund sold a portion of its gold reserves, as recommended in his paper.
John Sawhill, Energy: Managing the Transition	Appointed Deputy Secretary of the Department of Energy, where he managed policies related to higher-cost energy.

This pattern has led researchers to describe the Commission as a "Shadow Government of the West," where policy is conceived in private and implemented in public.

2.3.3 The Rockefeller Connection

David Rockefeller, then chairman of Chase Manhattan Bank and the dominant figure in the CFR, was the central force behind the Trilateral Commission's creation and funding. He personally selected its founding members and secured financial backing from a network of powerful, tax-exempt foundations and multinational corporations. Key funders included the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, the Ford Foundation, Exxon, and General Motors. This interlocking directorate of policy-shaping organizations did not emerge from a vacuum; it is the modern superstructure built upon a much older and more formidable foundation: the dynastic financial power of a handful of families who learned centuries ago that true global control flows not from parliaments, but from private banks.

3.0 The Financial Octopus: Dynasties and the Engine of Control

3.1 A Legacy of Wealth and Power

The pervasive influence of the modern triumvirate of secret societies is built upon the immense and enduring financial power of a few dynastic families. Their rise to prominence and their creation of financial systems designed to perpetuate their control are central to understanding the true engine of global power. By manipulating currency, profiting from war, and institutionalizing debt, these families allegedly constructed a financial octopus whose tentacles reach into every corner of government and industry.

3.2 The House of Rothschild: The European Central Bankers

The Rothschild banking dynasty began in the 18th century with Mayer Amschel Bauer of Frankfurt. Operating under the name Rothschild (from the red shield on his home), he developed core strategies that propelled his family to unparalleled power. These included conducting business with reigning houses, establishing a multinational network by placing his five sons at the head of banking houses in key European capitals, maintaining absolute secrecy by communicating in a Judendeutsch code, and profiting from conflict. This last strategy was famously exemplified by his son Nathan, who used advance knowledge of Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo to manipulate the London stock exchange and consolidate his control over the British economy. He commented on his act by saying, "It was the best business I have ever done." By financing both sides of wars, the Rothschilds ensured that nations would remain indebted to them, solidifying their position as the hidden masters of European politics.

3.3 The American Barons: Morgan and Rockefeller

3.3.1 J.P. Morgan

In the United States, John Pierpont Morgan emerged as the dominant figure of American capitalism, but many researchers argue he was primarily an "Anglophile" and the American front for Rothschild interests. Operating behind the facade of J.P. Morgan and Company, he ruthlessly consolidated American industries, creating monopolies like U.S. Steel and General Electric. His power was so immense that in 1893, he formed a syndicate to bail out the U.S. government itself, propping up its depleted reserves with $62 million in Rothschild gold. This act demonstrated that the power of private finance had grown to exceed that of the nation-state.

3.3.2 John D. Rockefeller

The Rockefeller empire, another cornerstone of American financial power, also had its roots in Rothschild capital. The National City Bank of Cleveland, identified as a Rothschild bank, provided John D. Rockefeller with the initial funding to build his Standard Oil monopoly. Quoted as saying "Competition is a sin," Rockefeller systematically eliminated his rivals until Standard Oil controlled 95 percent of all oil produced in the United States. When the Supreme Court ordered the trust's breakup in 1911, the move ironically increased Rockefeller's personal wealth, as he now owned a quarter share in each of the 33 newly created oil companies. The family's influence expanded beyond industry into social engineering through institutions like the Rockefeller Foundation and a keen interest in the eugenics movement, a program of scientifically applied genetic selection.

3.4 The Federal Reserve: The Coup of 1913

The creation of the Federal Reserve System stands as a primary case study in the deliberate, conspiratorial maneuvering of this financial elite to institutionalize their control over the entire U.S. economy.

3.4.1 The Jekyll Island Plan

In 1910, a secret meeting was convened at J.P. Morgan's private resort on Jekyll Island, Georgia. The attendees, representing an immense concentration of American wealth, included Frank Vanderlip of National City Bank, Senator Nelson Aldrich (a Morgan associate), and Paul Warburg of Kuhn, Loeb & Co. Their purpose was to draft legislation for a central bank. The meeting was held in such secrecy that Vanderlip later wrote, "I do not feel it is any exaggeration to speak of our secret expedition to Jekyll Island as the occasion of the actual conception of what eventually became the Federal Reserve System."

3.4.2 Political Maneuvering

Knowing that any proposal openly backed by Wall Street would be defeated, the bankers executed a brilliant political strategy. They created the illusion of opposition by publicly denouncing a bill proposed by Congressman Carter Glass, even though it contained sections identical to their own Aldrich Plan. This facade was amplified by a "grass-roots" front group, the National Citizens' League, secretly financed by the banks. To ensure a compliant president, they backed a third-party run by Theodore Roosevelt to split the Republican vote, guaranteeing the election of Woodrow Wilson, who had already pledged to sign the Federal Reserve Act.

3.4.3 A System of Debt

The Federal Reserve Act of 1913 established a "cartel" of privately-owned banks that was granted the power to create money out of nothing and lend it at interest to the U.S. government. As Congressman Charles Lindbergh Sr. warned, "From now on, depressions will be scientifically created." This system institutionalized debt-based fiat money, ensuring a perpetual stream of profit for the international bankers who owned the Federal Reserve's stock, with taxpayers left to cover any losses. This ultimate control over the nation's money supply provided the financial foundation upon which political and military agendas could be built and executed.

4.0 A Lineage of Power: Historical Roots of the Secret Brotherhood

4.1 Tracing the Thread of Secrecy

Modern secret societies are not new creations but are the inheritors of a long and continuous tradition of clandestine orders. Tracing this lineage is strategically important, as it reveals a remarkable continuity in their core objectives, esoteric symbolism, and hierarchical methods. From the imperial ambitions of British industrialists to the revolutionary fervor of European lodges and the crusading zeal of medieval knights, a common thread of secrecy connects them all, suggesting a long-term, multi-generational plan for global influence.

4.2 The Anglo-American Establishment: From Rhodes to Yale

4.2.1 The Round Tables

Cecil Rhodes, the diamond magnate of South Africa, is widely regarded as the "progenitor of the modern secret societies." Funded by the Rothschilds and inspired by the elitist philosophy of Oxford professor John Ruskin, Rhodes envisioned a secret society dedicated to the expansion of the British Empire and the "ultimate recovery of the United States of America." According to the research of historian Carroll Quigley, who was granted access to the society's secret records, Rhodes's fortune was used to create a network of semisecret "Round Table Groups." These groups, led by his trustee Lord Alfred Milner, were the direct institutional ancestors of the Royal Institute of International Affairs (RIIA) in Britain and its American offshoot, the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR).

4.2.2 The Order of Skull and Bones

Within this Anglo-American network, the Order of Skull and Bones at Yale University functions as a key inner circle and recruiting agency. Founded in 1832 by William Huntington Russell and Alphonso Taft, its rituals and symbolism are alleged to derive from the German Illuminati. The Order selects only fifteen Yale juniors each year, drawing heavily from a core group of elite families like the Bushes, Harrimans, Whitneys, and Rockefellers. For generations, Skull and Bones has served as a pipeline, channeling its members into the highest echelons of American finance, intelligence (particularly the CIA), and politics, creating an intensely loyal and secretive network at the heart of the American establishment.

4.3 The European Lodges: Revolution and Illumination

4.3.1 Freemasonry's Dual Nature

Freemasonry, one of the oldest secret societies, operates with "two doctrines": a public one based on fraternity and charity, and a concealed one reserved for its highest initiates. This method of maintaining a benign public face while pursuing a hidden agenda is a direct parallel to the modern operations of the CFR and Trilateral Commission. The order's inner doctrine played a significant role in the revolutionary upheavals of the 18th century. The Boston Tea Party, a pivotal event in the American Revolution, was an entirely Masonic operation, while in France, revolutionary leaders like the Duke of Orleans and the Marquis de Lafayette used the secrecy of the lodges to plan and foment rebellion against the monarchy.

4.3.2 The Illuminati

In 1776, Professor Adam Weishaupt founded the Order of the Illuminati in Bavaria with the "express purpose of rooting out all the religious establishments and overturning all the existing governments of Europe." Weishaupt preached an end-justifies-the-means philosophy and structured his order as a "society within a society." He then grafted the Illuminati onto the existing infrastructure of Freemasonry, using its lodges as a vehicle to secretly spread his revolutionary ideals. This tactic of "grafting" a secret network onto a larger host institution mirrors the CFR's strategy of grafting its members into key government positions to enact its policy objectives from within.

4.4 The Crusader Knights: Templars and their Secrets

4.4.1 Treasure and Heresy

The lineage of these societies can be traced further back to the warrior-monks of the Knights Templar. Formed in 1118, the order spent nine years excavating beneath the ruins of Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem. Upon emerging, they were suddenly showered with immense wealth and papal favor, leading to the theory that they discovered not gold, but ancient scrolls containing knowledge that challenged the dogma of the Roman church. This knowledge, it is believed, may have related to a continuing bloodline of Jesus and Mary Magdalene—a core belief of the Cathars, a "heretical" sect that flourished in the Templars' heartland of southern France.

4.4.2 Banking, Power, and Suppression

The Templars pioneered the international banking system that the House of Rothschild would later perfect, demonstrating a continuity of strategy where financial control underpins political power. They pioneered concepts like letters of credit and became the primary financiers of European royalty. Their wealth and influence grew so vast that they became a "state within a state," arousing the envy of King Philip IV of France. In 1307, in collusion with Pope Clement V, Philip brutally suppressed the order. However, many Templars allegedly escaped, finding refuge in Scotland, where their traditions and esoteric knowledge were absorbed into the nascent lodges of Scottish Freemasonry. This long history of secret networks, focused on controlling finance and knowledge, set the stage for their modern application in directing global conflicts.

5.0 War as an Instrument of Policy and Profit

War is a racket.... War is largely a matter of money. Bankers lend money to foreign countries and when they cannot pay, the President sends Marines to get it.
— Marine Maj. Gen. Smedley D. Butler

5.1 The Iron Mountain Thesis

A controversial study known as the "Report from Iron Mountain" provides a chilling theoretical framework for understanding the role of modern warfare. The report, allegedly commissioned in the early 1960s by top Kennedy administration officials—including CFR and Bilderberg members McGeorge Bundy, Robert McNamara, and Dean Rusk—concluded that war is not an aberration but the "basic social system" and the "principal organizing force" in modern society. Its authors argued that for a ruling class to maintain control, war is economically and socially necessary, as it provides the "sense of external necessity without which no government can long remain in power." Whether authentic or not, the report's elitist perspective mirrors the mindset of the secret society members who have managed America's most significant modern conflicts.

5.2 Case Study: The Vietnam War - A Deliberately Mismanaged Conflict

5.2.1 The CFR's Agenda

The Vietnam War can be analyzed as a practical exercise in the "deliberate mismanagement" of conflict, orchestrated by a core group of CFR members. Key figures who advocated for and managed the war—Robert McNamara, Dean Rusk, the Bundy brothers, and Walt Rostow—were all deeply embedded in the Council. Their globalist objectives were laid bare in Rostow's 1960 book, where he called for "an end to nationhood as it has been historically defined." The war, therefore, was not about victory for the United States, but about furthering the long-term strategic objective of eroding national sovereignty.

5.2.2 Kennedy's Opposition and Removal

President John F. Kennedy stood as the primary obstacle to these plans. He repeatedly rejected recommendations to introduce ground troops into Vietnam and was in deep conflict with the financial elite over economic policies that threatened the power of the Federal Reserve. He confided to Senator Mike Mansfield that he planned a "complete withdrawal from Vietnam" after the 1964 election. His assassination in November 1963 removed the one man who stood in the way of a full-scale, prolonged war, and many researchers view his death as a direct consequence of his opposition to the globalist agenda.

5.2.3 The Pretext and the "No-Win" Policy

The Gulf of Tonkin incident in 1964 served as the contrived pretext for war, enabled by a resolution pre-drafted by CFR member William Bundy. Once American troops were committed, the war was fought under crippling "rules of engagement"—a form of asymmetrical self-limitation designed to achieve political rather than military victory. U.S. forces were forbidden from attacking key strategic targets or pursuing the enemy into Laos or Cambodia. This "no-win" policy guaranteed a long war with high casualties, enriching the military-industrial complex while achieving the globalists' political objectives. In a final act of duplicity, U.S. corporations, through initiatives spearheaded by David Rockefeller, actually increased trade with the Soviet bloc nations that were supplying up to 80 percent of North Vietnam's war materials.

5.3 Case Study: The Persian Gulf War - A Manufactured Crisis

This model of a manufactured, managed conflict for strategic and financial gain was not unique to the Cold War, but was refined and redeployed decades later in the sands of the Middle East. The 1991 Persian Gulf War was precipitated by a diplomatic signal that was widely interpreted as a "green light" for invasion. On July 25, 1990, U.S. Ambassador April Glaspie told Saddam Hussein, "We have no opinion on your Arab-Arab conflicts, like your dispute with Kuwait." Just eight days later, Iraqi troops crossed the border. This communication gave Saddam the impression that the United States would not intervene, setting the stage for a conflict that served powerful financial and political interests. The "Iraqgate" scandal later revealed that in the years preceding the war, nearly $5 billion in loans had been funneled to Saddam through the BNL bank, a transaction facilitated by Kissinger Associates and guaranteed by U.S. taxpayers. The war also had personal financial connections for President George H.W. Bush, whose son, George W. Bush, was a board member of Harken Energy Corp., which secured a lucrative oil-production deal with Bahrain just before the war began.

5.4 Case Study: World War I - A Banker's Racket

America's entry into World War I followed a similar pattern of provocation and profit. The sinking of the ocean liner Lusitania in 1915 was the event that turned public opinion toward war. However, evidence suggests the incident was "probably concocted by Winston Churchill" to draw America in. The ship was knowingly sent into waters where a German U-boat was operating, its military escort was withdrawn, and it was carrying tons of munitions. The war proved immensely profitable for Wall Street, with firms connected to the Morgan and Rockefeller interests seeing their profits skyrocket. During the war, Wall Street and London bankers, including Jacob Schiff, the Warburgs, and Lord Milner, provided extensive financing for the Bolshevik Revolution. This act was a real-world application of the Hegelian dialectic: by creating and funding an antithesis (Communism) to the existing thesis (Capitalism), these international financiers aimed to manage a long-term global conflict that would eventually produce their desired synthesis: a centrally controlled one-world order.

6.0 The Ancient Mysteries: The Ultimate Secret

6.1 A Hidden Origin Story

The ultimate secret allegedly passed down through the ages by these clandestine societies concerns the true, unwritten history of humanity's origins. This hidden knowledge, drawn from ancient texts that predate the Bible, is not merely a historical curiosity; it is presented as the foundational justification for the elite's perceived right to rule. It posits an origin story for humankind that is radically different from both Darwinian evolution and traditional religious creationism, and it is this "secret of secrets" that provides the ultimate rationale for their long-term agenda of global control.

6.2 From the Cabala to Egypt

The lineage of this secret doctrine can be traced from the mystical Jewish Cabala—a body of esoteric knowledge containing hidden meanings within the Old Testament—back to first-century Gnostic sects and the Essene community. These groups preserved "Mystic Christianity," an esoteric tradition based on personal enlightenment that was suppressed by the Roman church at the Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D. This thread leads further back to Moses, who, according to some theories, was not a Hebrew but the Egyptian pharaoh Akhenaten. In this interpretation, Akhenaten preserved the monotheistic "Ancient Mysteries" of Egypt—a body of knowledge concerning humanity's true relationship with its creators—and passed it down through a select priesthood, forming the basis of the Cabala.

6.3 The Sumerian Revelation: The Anunnaki Hypothesis

6.3.1 A Lost Civilization

The work of translator Zecharia Sitchin, who spent decades studying ancient clay tablets, points to the Sumerian civilization as the ultimate source of this ancient knowledge. Sumer emerged suddenly in Mesopotamia six thousand years ago as a fully formed, highly advanced society. The Sumerians possessed sophisticated knowledge of astronomy (charting the solar system, including planets invisible to the naked eye), mathematics, metallurgy, and genetics—a level of knowledge for which modern science has no explanation.

6.3.2 The Creation Narrative

According to the controversial translations of Zecharia Sitchin, these tablets articulate a creation narrative that serves as the esoteric core of the elite's worldview. They state that their civilization was a gift from the Anunnaki—"Those Who Came to Earth from Heaven." These beings came from a planet called Nibiru, which has a 3,600-year elliptical orbit. The texts claim the Anunnaki came to Earth hundreds of thousands of years ago to mine gold. Finding the labor too difficult, they used genetic engineering to upgrade the existing hominids, creating a worker race: homo sapiens, or humankind. This narrative provides a startlingly direct explanation for puzzling biblical verses like Genesis 1:26, where a plural God states, "Let us make man in our image."

6.3.3 A Legacy of Control

According to the Sumerian texts, the Anunnaki ruled humanity directly for millennia. After a catastrophic global flood, they instituted "kingship" as a method of indirect rule, choosing specific human bloodlines to serve as their intermediaries. These divinely appointed royal lines became the ruling dynasties of the ancient world. The Sumerian story of the Tower of Babel is recounted as a rebellion in which humans attempted to build their own shem (sky vehicle). In response, the Anunnaki confused their languages and dispersed them across the globe, ensuring humanity would remain divided and easier to control.

6.4 The Secret of Secrets: Humanity as Property

The ultimate implication drawn from this alternative history is that humanity is, in essence, a genetically engineered "slave race" that remains a possession of its creators or their hybrid descendants. This stark conclusion is articulated by several researchers who have studied these ancient texts.

"Human beings appear to be a slave race languishing on an isolated planet in a small galaxy... [and] still remain a possession today."
— William Bramley

"A race of interbreeding ['royal' reptile-human hybrid] bloodlines... were centered in the Middle East and Near East in the ancient world and, over the thousands of years since, have expanded their power across the globe."
— David Icke

"I think we are property... once upon a time, this Earth was No-Man's Land... but that now it's owned by something."
— Charles Fort

This secret of secrets—that humanity is not the master of its own destiny but a managed asset—is presented as the core belief that animates the actions of the secret societies and provides the ultimate justification for their self-appointed role as rulers of the planet.

7.0 Conclusion: The Choice Between Secrecy and Freedom

7.1 Synthesizing the Conspiracy

This analysis has traced a consistent thread of conspiracy, weaving through an interconnected network of families, societies, and financial institutions. From the modern policy-shaping forums of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Trilateral Commission, the lineage extends back through the imperial Round Tables of Cecil Rhodes, the revolutionary lodges of the Illuminati and Freemasons, the crusading Knights Templar, and ultimately to an ancient priesthood guarding a secret history of human origins involving the Anunnaki. This network has allegedly manipulated finance to create systems of perpetual debt, instigated wars for profit and control, and suppressed knowledge to pursue a multi-generational, long-term agenda of centralized global governance.

7.2 Knowledge as Power

The central theme running through this historical narrative is that secrecy is the elite's most potent weapon, and knowledge is the public's primary means of resistance. As media critic Michael Parenti observed, "The media may not always be able to tell us what to think, but they are strikingly successful in telling us what to think about." By controlling the flow of information, this network shapes public perception and manufactures consent for its agendas. Industrialist Henry Ford once remarked, "It is well enough that the people of the nation do not understand our banking and monetary system for, if they did, I believe there would be a revolution before tomorrow morning." This highlights the immense power that lies dormant in a public kept ignorant of the true mechanics of power.

7.3 A Call to Awareness

True freedom, as argued in the source texts, is not a passive state but an active pursuit. It requires individual initiative in seeking out alternative information, questioning official narratives, and rejecting the fear and division that are used as tools of control. In a world saturated with carefully curated information, the act of independent research and critical thought becomes a revolutionary act. The ultimate promise of this effort is captured in the timeless biblical wisdom of John 8:32:

"You will know the truth and the truth will make you free."

Systemic Influence: An Analysis of Elite Control Over Modern Media

1.0 Introduction: The Illusion of an Independent Press

The perception of a free and independent press, a cornerstone of democratic society, is largely an illusion. A deeper analysis of the modern media landscape reveals a sophisticated system of control and narrative management orchestrated by a powerful, interconnected elite. This report examines the architecture of this system, from the concentration of corporate ownership to the interlocking memberships of media executives in secretive, influential organizations. It argues that what is presented to the public as objective news is often a carefully managed information stream designed to shape public opinion in service of a specific agenda.

The core of the problem lies in the stark juxtaposition between the public's reliance on mass media for information and the media's ownership by a small cadre of corporate interests. This dynamic was articulated with prescient clarity by 19th-century British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli, who observed, "The world is governed by very different personages from what is imagined by those who are not behind the scenes." More bluntly, 20th-century press critic A. J. Liebling noted that "freedom of the press is for those who own the presses." In an era of multinational media conglomerates, this ownership structure provides an unparalleled mechanism for influence.

This report proceeds from a specific view of history, juxtaposing two competing perspectives. While some, like former national security adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski—a member of the executive committee of the secretive Trilateral Commission—adhere to an "accidental" view that history is a product of chaos and unforeseen events, this analysis explores the evidence for a "conspiratorial" or "cause and effect" perspective. This report will adopt the "cause and effect" framework, analyzing the evidence that major events are not accidental but are the result of deliberate human planning, frequently conducted in secret by the very figures who control the flow of public information. The following sections will examine the corporate structure and elite affiliations that shape this information environment.

2.0 The Architecture of Control: Media Consolidation

The strategic ownership of media outlets is the foundational pillar of narrative control. The rapid consolidation of media corporations into the hands of a few dominant players provides a powerful, centralized mechanism for setting agendas, framing discourse, and suppressing dissenting viewpoints. When a handful of companies control the vast majority of newspapers, magazines, television stations, and cable networks, the potential for a managed, monolithic message becomes not just a possibility, but a structural reality.

Data compiled by Ben Bagdikian, former dean of the School of Journalism at the University of California, Berkeley, charts a dramatic contraction of media ownership. In 1982, fifty corporations controlled the majority of mass media in the United States. By 1990, that number had been reduced to just twenty-three. By the end of 1997, the field of influential owners had shrunk to a mere ten.

The Ten Dominant Media Corporations (as of 1997)

Time-Warner
Walt Disney Co.
Tele-Communications Inc.
News Corp.
CBS Corp.
General Electric
Gannett Co.
Advance Publications
Cox Enterprises
New York Times Co.

The consequences of this consolidation have been profound. It has fueled the transformation of once-prestigious news organizations, long regarded as pillars of public service, into what media critics describe as little more than "advertising distribution systems." The winners in this new landscape are "a handful of broad and powerful media combines, as dominant as the railroad and oil trusts were in the 1890s." This immense concentration of power in the information sector creates an environment where corporate and political interests can be protected, and narratives challenging the established order can be effectively marginalized. This structure sets the stage for the individuals and groups who exercise direct influence within this consolidated media landscape.

3.0 The Interlocking Directorate: Secret Societies and Media Membership

Beyond the corporate structure, a more subtle and pervasive layer of influence exists within what has been termed an "invisible government." In 1922, former New York Mayor John F. Hylan warned of this phenomenon, declaring, "The real menace of our Republic is the invisible government which like a giant octopus sprawls its slimy length over our city, state and nation." Colonel L. Fletcher Prouty, a former Pentagon-CIA liaison, described a modern "Secret Team" whose power derives from its connections to private industry, universities, and crucially, "the news media." The primary instruments of this influence are modern secret societies whose members populate the highest echelons of American media, business, and government.

Analysis of these groups reveals that three organizations are central to this network of influence:

The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR)
The Trilateral Commission
The Bilderberg Group

The membership lists of the CFR and the Trilateral Commission, in particular, read like a who's who of the American media establishment. The presence of top executives, owners, anchors, and columnists from nearly every major media outlet within these secretive organizations raises fundamental questions about journalistic independence and objectivity.

Media Affiliation of CFR and Trilateral Commission Members

Name	Associated Media Organization(s)
Laurence A. Tisch	CBS
William Paley	CBS
John F. Welch Jr.	NBC
Thomas S. Murphy	ABC
Katherine Graham	Associated Press, The Washington Post
Robert McNeil	Public Broadcast Service (PBS)
Jim Lehrer	Public Broadcast Service (PBS)
Hodding Carter III	Public Broadcast Service (PBS)
W. Thomas Johnson	CNN
A. M. Rosenthal	The New York Times
Harrison Salisbury	The New York Times
Sol Linowitz	The New York Times, Time magazine
Strobe Talbott	Time magazine
Phillip Geyelin	Newsweek
Stephen S. Rosenfeld	The Washington Post
Arnaud de Borchgrave	The Washington Times
Robert Bartley	The Wall Street Journal
Karen House	The Wall Street Journal
William F. Buckley Jr.	National Review
George V. Grune	Reader's Digest
David Gergen	U.S. News & World Report
Mortimer Zuckerman	U.S. News & World Report

Beyond the executives and owners listed in the table, the membership rolls extend to include some of America's most recognizable on-air journalists, such as Dan Rather, Bill Moyers, Diane Sawyer, David Brinkley, Ted Koppel, Barbara Walters, Tom Brokaw, and George Will.

The clear implication of these overlapping memberships is a systemic conflict of interest. This interconnected network creates what many researchers term a "conspiracy of silence" surrounding the activities of these powerful groups. It explains why the annual meetings of the Bilderberg Group or the policy-shaping sessions of the Council on Foreign Relations receive virtually no substantive coverage from America's "watchdog" media. This ensures that the strategic goals discussed within these elite circles are never scrutinized by the very media corporations that the members themselves own or direct, effectively neutralizing the watchdog function of the press within the consolidated architecture of control. This network of membership provides a powerful channel for shaping public opinion through specific, calculated mechanisms of influence.

4.0 Managing the Narrative: Mechanisms of Influence

Beyond simple ownership and interlocking memberships, a sophisticated set of mechanisms is employed to manage public perception and promote what has been called an "Establishment history." The strategic objective is to sanitize complex events into a simplified "Disney version" for public consumption, thereby ensuring that prevailing power structures are not seriously challenged. This is achieved not through overt censorship, but through a more nuanced control over what information is published, distributed, and legitimized.

Several key methods of narrative control are evident:

Suppression of Dissent: Authors and researchers who present alternative views of history that challenge the establishment narrative are systematically marginalized. Their work is often relegated to small publishers with limited distribution networks, effectively keeping it out of the mainstream discourse. In more direct cases, controversial books are withdrawn from circulation. The sudden suppression of Dr. Carroll Quigley's insider account, Tragedy and Hope: A History of the World in Our Time, by a major New York publisher is a frequently cited example of this practice.
Control of Information Flow: The structure of news gathering and dissemination contains "choke points" that allow a small number of individuals to control what the public sees and hears. A prime example is the international desk at the Associated Press headquarters in New York, where a single person can decide which stories from around the globe become available to thousands of news outlets across the country. This centralization provides an efficient means of filtering information before it ever reaches the public.
Compromised Watchdogs: Even organizations designed to hold the media accountable are sometimes compromised by their connections to the very power structures they are meant to scrutinize. Accuracy in Media (AIM), for instance, has been criticized for its ineffectiveness on sensitive establishment topics. This critique is underscored by the fact that its founder, Reed Irvine, was simultaneously a paid advisor for the division of international finance of the Federal Reserve System—an institution deeply intertwined with the international financial establishment.
The Power of Foundations: Tax-exempt foundations, such as those established by the Rockefeller, Ford, and Carnegie families, play a critical role in shaping public policy and discourse. Along with think tanks like the Aspen Institute and the Institute for Policy Studies, these organizations use their vast grant-making power to fund educational institutions, research projects, and policy groups. A former research director for a congressional committee investigating foundations reported that the stated goal of the Ford Foundation was to use its influence "so as to alter our life in the United States that we can be comfortably merged with the Soviet Union," advancing a clear globalist agenda. This reveals a direct link between the financial mechanisms of the elite and the long-term geopolitical objective of eroding national sovereignty in favor of a globalist system.

These mechanisms work in concert to create a managed information environment. A specific case study of the Bilderberg Group serves to illustrate these mechanisms in action.

5.0 Case Study: The Bilderberg Group and the Mandate of Secrecy

The Bilderberg Group stands as a premier example of high-level secrecy and media complicity. Founded in the early 1950s, the group convenes an annual, invitation-only conference for approximately 120 of the most prominent figures in international finance, industry, politics, and media. Its creation was the work of a transnational elite, including figures like Holland's Prince Bernhard (a former member of the Nazi SS), Polish socialist Dr. Joseph Retinger, and American individuals connected to the intelligence community, such as William Donovan, former chief of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the forerunner of the CIA. Despite the high-profile nature of its attendees, its proceedings remain almost entirely unreported by the American press, demonstrating a clear and enforced mandate of secrecy.

The behavior of media members who attend Bilderberg meetings reveals a profound conflict of interest. Their participation is governed by strict rules of non-disclosure, which they openly acknowledge.

"The rules of the conference, which we all adhere to, are that we don't talk about what is said. It is all off the record." —Paul Gigot, The Wall Street Journal

This self-imposed silence contrasts sharply with the approach of some foreign media. While American outlets remain silent, Canadian and Scottish media have reported on the meetings. The coverage surrounding the 1998 meeting in Scotland was particularly notable, with one newspaper headline declaring, "Whole world in their hands," and describing the guest list as "an international who's who of the wealthy, influential and powerful." A reporter for the Scottish Daily Mail was arrested, handcuffed, and detained for eight hours merely for attempting to approach the conference hotel. The consequences for journalists who violate this code of silence can be severe, as exemplified by the case of C. Gordon Tether, who was fired from London's Financial Times in the 1970s after publishing columns critical of the group's secrecy.

The ultimate impact of these secret meetings is the alignment of editorial positions among the media elites who attend. Critics charge that participation in Bilderberg conferences "shapes their editorial positions" and contributes directly to the fact that "the differences in editorial positions of America's major news outlets are negligible." Journalists who are privy to off-the-record discussions with the world's most powerful individuals are unlikely to produce reporting that challenges the consensus forged in those meetings. The Bilderberg case thus demonstrates a clear and systemic failure of the press to fulfill its watchdog function, a failure with broad consequences for public trust and democratic discourse.

6.0 Ramifications: The Erosion of Public Trust and Political Discourse

The cumulative effect of media consolidation, elite influence, and narrative management is the deep and widespread erosion of public trust. When the official stories presented by the media and government fail to align with the public's perception of reality, the result is a growing sense of suspicion, disconnection, and political powerlessness. This disconnect is not mere paranoia; it is a rational response to a media system that appears to operate in service of interests other than those of the public.

Polling data provides clear evidence of this profound public distrust. A 1997 Scripps-Howard News Service poll revealed a significant portion of the American populace believes in official complicity in major national events, directly contradicting official narratives.

51% believe it likely that federal officials were directly responsible for the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.
More than one-third suspect the U.S. Navy was responsible, intentionally or unintentionally, for the downing of TWA Flight 800.
A majority believe it is possible that CIA officials intentionally allowed Central American drug dealers to sell cocaine to inner-city black children.

The establishment's reaction to such sentiment often frames public skepticism as a dangerous pathology. Curtis Gans, an elections expert, lamented the poll's findings by stating, "Paranoia is killing this country." This response dismisses legitimate public concern as irrational fear, further widening the gap between the public and the institutions that govern them. It reflects a fundamental disconnect between a public sensing a hidden reality and an establishment committed to denying its existence.

This dynamic ultimately renders political discourse and even elections meaningless. As author Gary Allen argued, this pattern is not the result of incompetence or coincidence. "If we were merely dealing with the law of averages, half of the events affecting our nation's well-being should be good for America. If we were dealing with mere incompetence, our leaders should occasionally make a mistake in our favor." In a system where both major political parties are controlled by the same elite interests, elections offer only the illusion of choice. He pointed to the 1972 presidential election as a classic example, where voters were given a choice between "CFR world government advocate Nixon and CFR world government advocate Humphrey." When the candidates are drawn from the same pool and are beholden to the same power structure, the democratic process becomes a carefully managed spectacle rather than a genuine exercise in self-governance.

7.0 Conclusion: The Case for Systemic Manipulation

The evidence presented in this report points to a clear and consistent conclusion: the American media system is subject to systemic manipulation. The consolidation of media ownership into a few corporate hands, the interlocking memberships of media elites in powerful secret societies like the Council on Foreign Relations and the Bilderberg Group, and the active suppression of dissenting narratives are not a series of coincidences. Rather, they are components of a deliberate, long-term effort to control the flow of information and manage public opinion.

The ultimate goal of this control, as articulated by numerous researchers and insiders cited in the source material, is the advancement of a globalist agenda. This agenda, often referred to as a "New World Order" or "one world government," requires the gradual erosion of national sovereignty and the manufacturing of public consent for increased international consolidation of power. By managing what the public reads, sees, and hears, this elite network can guide political and economic outcomes toward its desired ends while maintaining the facade of a free press and an open society.

The power of this system lies not in its ability to dictate every thought, but in its capacity to set the boundaries of acceptable debate. As the media critic Michael Parenti powerfully concluded:

"The media may not always be able to tell us what to think, but they are strikingly successful in telling us what to think about."

References

Sources Note

This includes sources used by the author of Rule by Secrecy in his writing the text.

Brzezinski, Zbigniew. Between Two Ages: America's Role in the Technetronic Era. New York: Viking Press, 1970.
Goldwater, Barry. With No Apologies. New York: William Morrow and Company, 1979.
Griffin, G. Edward. The Creature from Jekyll Island. Westlake Village, CA: American Media, 1994.
Marrs, Jim. Rule by Secrecy: The Hidden History That Connects the Trilateral Commission, the Freemasons, and the Great Pyramids. New York: HarperCollins, 2000.
Quigley, Carroll. The Anglo-American Establishment: from Rhodes to Cliveden. New York: Books in Focus, 1981.
Quigley, Carroll. Tragedy and Hope: A History of the World in Our Time. New York: MacMillan, 1966.
Sutton, Anthony C. America’s Secret Establishment: An Introduction to the Order of Skull & Bones. Billings, MT: Liberty House Press, 1986.
Vankin, Jonathan, and John Whalen. Fifty Greatest Conspiracies of All Time. New York: Citadel Press, 1995.

Rule by Secrecy (Jim Marrs) ​

Overview ​

Mahanism as the Formal Doctrine of ‘Rule by Secrecy’ ​

Urban's Expose on Mahanism ​

Shorts ​

Masters Mahan Clip: What is Mahanism? ​

The Masters of the Secret Combination Clip ​

The Anunnaki Hypothesis: An Alternative History of Human Origins ​

Introduction: Beyond Darwin and Dogma ​

1. The Sudden Dawn: The Mystery of Sumer ​

2. Those Who from Heaven to Earth Came: The Anunnaki ​

3. The Creation of the Worker: Making Man in Our Image ​

4. Rewriting History: The Anunnaki Role in Human Mythology ​

5. Conclusion: A Secret Legacy ​

A Beginner's Guide to Secret Societies: The Hidden Hands Shaping Our World ​

1. The Modern Architects of Power: A Global Network ​

1.1. The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR): The American Power Center ​

1.2. The Trilateral Commission and the Bilderberg Group: The International Extension ​

The Trilateral Commission ​

The Bilderberg Group ​

Comparative Analysis ​

2. The Secret Brotherhoods: Forging the Elite ​

2.1. The Order of Skull and Bones: America's "Brotherhood of Death" ​

2.2. The Illuminati: The Master Plan ​

2.3. Freemasonry: The Ancient Bedrock ​

3. The Money and the Power: The Financiers of the Agenda ​

3.1. The Banking Dynasties: Rothschild, Rockefeller, and Morgan ​

The Rothschilds ​

The Morgans and Rockefellers ​

3.2. The Crown Jewel: Creating the Federal Reserve System ​

Conclusion: The "New World Order" Agenda ​

Rule by Secrecy: A Historical Analysis of Elite Networks and Global Power ​

1.0 Introduction: The Two Views of History ​

1.1 Setting the Context ​

1.2 The Argument for Conspiracy ​

1.3 Public Suspicion and the Power of Secrecy ​

2.0 The Modern Architects: A Triumvirate of Global Influence ​

2.1 The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR): The American Nexus ​

2.1.1 Origins and Objectives ​

2.1.2 Pervasive Government Influence ​

2.2 The Bilderberg Group: The Transatlantic Power Brokers ​

2.2.1 Formation and Secrecy ​

2.2.2 Policy and Influence ​

2.3 The Trilateral Commission: Consolidating the Developed World ​

2.3.1 Brzezinski's Vision ​

2.3.2 From Theory to Policy ​

2.3.3 The Rockefeller Connection ​

3.0 The Financial Octopus: Dynasties and the Engine of Control ​

3.1 A Legacy of Wealth and Power ​

3.2 The House of Rothschild: The European Central Bankers ​

3.3 The American Barons: Morgan and Rockefeller ​

3.3.1 J.P. Morgan ​

3.3.2 John D. Rockefeller ​

3.4 The Federal Reserve: The Coup of 1913 ​

3.4.1 The Jekyll Island Plan ​

3.4.2 Political Maneuvering ​

3.4.3 A System of Debt ​

4.0 A Lineage of Power: Historical Roots of the Secret Brotherhood ​

4.1 Tracing the Thread of Secrecy ​

4.2 The Anglo-American Establishment: From Rhodes to Yale ​

4.2.1 The Round Tables ​

4.2.2 The Order of Skull and Bones ​

4.3 The European Lodges: Revolution and Illumination ​

4.3.1 Freemasonry's Dual Nature ​

4.3.2 The Illuminati ​

4.4 The Crusader Knights: Templars and their Secrets ​

4.4.1 Treasure and Heresy ​

4.4.2 Banking, Power, and Suppression ​

5.0 War as an Instrument of Policy and Profit ​

5.1 The Iron Mountain Thesis ​

5.2 Case Study: The Vietnam War - A Deliberately Mismanaged Conflict ​

5.2.1 The CFR's Agenda ​

5.2.2 Kennedy's Opposition and Removal ​

5.2.3 The Pretext and the "No-Win" Policy ​

5.3 Case Study: The Persian Gulf War - A Manufactured Crisis ​

5.4 Case Study: World War I - A Banker's Racket ​

6.0 The Ancient Mysteries: The Ultimate Secret ​

6.1 A Hidden Origin Story ​

6.2 From the Cabala to Egypt ​

6.3 The Sumerian Revelation: The Anunnaki Hypothesis ​