[ipyfbpen] Money and power

Money can buy power (currently implicitly, but I've proposed explicitly in voting and pseudo-bribes).

This causes a great demand for money, and people and corporations willing to do tremendously socially harmful things to acquire more money.

Is this right?  Or are the distortions (if any) caused by such a system too great?

But what is the alternative?  Should there be a different currency for power separate from that used to buy regular goods and services?  I don't see how that could work.

A democracy ought to be power from the people.  Is the problem that money can buy people?  Then, perhaps we need a better welfare state to preserve democracy.