The Capture Cascade Timeline

Documenting Systematic Institutional Capture

The Capture Cascade Framework

This timeline documents a repeating pattern of institutional capture that accelerates corruption and centralizes power. Understanding this pattern helps us recognize early warning signs.

Crisis Creation: Real or manufactured crises generate public fear and demand for immediate action

Emergency Powers: Leaders claim extraordinary authority to "solve" the crisis, bypassing normal checks

Regulatory Capture: Industries write their own rules through favorable appointments and gutted oversight

Accountability Elimination: Watchdogs are fired, inspectors generals removed, whistleblowers silenced

System Capture: The new corrupt normal becomes entrenched, making future corruption easier

The pattern is accelerating:

1970-2000 ~8 events/year

2001-2016 ~28 events/year

2017-2020 ~68 events/year

2021-2025 ~95 events/year

Each cycle of capture makes the next cycle faster and more severe. This is not a series of isolated incidents—it's a systematic erosion of democratic safeguards.

Our Mission

This timeline documents the systematic capture of democratic institutions through verified events, executive orders, appointments, and policy changes.

By connecting the dots between seemingly isolated events, we reveal patterns of institutional capture, regulatory erosion, and the consolidation of power that threaten democratic accountability.

2762+

Total Events

380+

Key Actors

250+

Key Findings

Accelerating Capture: The rate of institutional capture events has increased 10x from the 1970s to 2020s
Systematic Pattern: Similar capture techniques repeat across different agencies and time periods
Regulatory Collapse: Oversight agencies systematically weakened through defunding, leadership removal, and policy changes
Network Effects: The same actors and organizations appear repeatedly across different capture events
Democracy Risk: Concentration of unchecked power threatens the foundations of democratic governance

How to Use This Timeline

Browse Events

Explore all events chronologically to see the full scope of institutional capture

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Track Actors

Browse by actors to see patterns of behavior across different contexts

Analyze Patterns

Identify connections and recurring themes using tags and categories

Enter Interactive Timeline

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Open source timeline data and code

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Disclaimer & Methodology

This timeline presents factual events documented from credible sources. Each entry includes dates, descriptions, and source links. We strive for accuracy and welcome corrections.

The "importance" ratings reflect the event's significance in the broader pattern of institutional capture, not political alignment. Events are included based on their documented impact on democratic institutions and governance.

License: This timeline is released under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). You are free to share and adapt the material with attribution.