The Nonprofit Industrial Complex (NPIC) is a system that opposes its ideals of the greater good to continue to, ironically, provide aid by way of the sources who create the need for aid. These sources – the extremely wealthy who consistently benefit from and enforce a detrimental capitalist system – represent privilege and power with the impact of division even when supporting initiatives for change. As capitalism has weaved itself into democracy, those in positions of privilege and power and the NPIC continue to create a democratic deficit. The NPIC is set-up with little thought of social benefits in mind and relies on a difference in economic power. It directly relates and informs capitalism in a way that attempts to soften its malicious intent. In short, donations to nonprofit organizations are tax deductible and preserve wealth for the wealthy. Socially, it provides them an opportunity to delineate their negative effect and show that they are *doing enough* in their position. Andrea Smith provided terms in The Global Industrial Complex as to how the NPIC operates (Best [Andrea Smith] 134): • Monitor and control social justice movements • Divert public monies into private hands through foundations • Manage and control dissent in order to make the world safe for capitalism • Redirect activist energies into career-based modes of organizing instead of mass-based organizing capable of actually transforming society • Allow corporations to mask their exploitative and colonial work practices through “philanthropic” work • Encourage social movements to model themselves after capitalist structures rather than to challenge them Benefiting social change initiatives and the disenfranchised are not a focused part of the NPIC’s goals. The tax deductions on money that goes against these meaningful effects ends up withholding public funding on a large scale. Even foundations created by the wealthy for corporate profits with the perceived intent of helping workers and the public are no better than a glorified bank account (Best [Andrea Smith] 141). These foundations likely rely on a board of directors to dictate the means of their funds in ways that would not challenge capitalism (Best [Andrea Smith] 136). Change is not fostered under a complex in a flawed system and true democracy calls for movements to redirect power. The NPIC directly acts against the portrayed values of nonprofit organizations. Best, Steven. The Global Industrial Complex: Systems of Domination. Lanham, Md: Lexington Books, 2011. Print.