The same is true of Kornbluth’s collaboration with Fred Pohl, The Space Merchants. Venus turned out to be much worse than expected but a planet run by insanely ruthless advertising agencies seems more plausible every day.

— Lord Piltdown (@jimreynolds54) July 21, 2021

The Space Merchants

In a vastly overpopulated world, businesses have taken the place of governments and now hold political power. States exist merely to ensure the survival of huge trans-national corporations. Advertising has become hugely aggressive and by far the best-paid profession. Through advertising, the public is constantly deluded into thinking that the quality of life is improved by all the products placed on the market. Some of the products contain addictive substances designed to make consumers dependent on them. However, the most basic elements of life are incredibly scarce, including water and fuel.