A Transnational Class: does corporate Australia have one?

Abstract

This paper looks at the apparent contradiction of a transnational capitalist class (TCC) within the Australian nation state and asks if they do exist what is their relationship to the Australian Capitalist Class (ACC)? Is their relationship comfy, cooperative or conflictual or are the ACC in a relationship of commensalism where they benefit and the TCC is not significantly harmed or rewarded, much like the shark with its remora or sucker fish? The ACC sucker fish attached for food and global transportation upon the rapacious TCC shark; forming a unit of military precision, mobility and efficacy. The test for these likely scenarios is material that comes from a longitudinal study of interlocking directors and major shareholders (drawn from the top 30 companies listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) 1992-2007 and 300 top Australian companies listed on the Huntley's 2007 shareholder database) plus interviews with top thirty company directors over a 15 year period 1992-2007.