The following post was originally a response to Robert on the Space Board in a totally different context, but I hope you don't mind if I reproduce it here, it appears relevant to your comments.

-ER

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From the Wikipedia plot synopsis of "The Space Merchants", Frederick Pohl and C.M. Kornbluth, 1952.

"In a vastly overpopulated world, businesses have taken the place of governments and now hold all 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. However, the most basic elements are incredibly scarce, including water and fuel."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Space_Merchants

Does the scenario above sound familiar? I read the book while in high school, when it was already 10 years old! The Wiki synopsis is very accurate; "Merchants" played a major role in forming my political opinions as a young man. I'm glad I found it before I got to "Starship Troopers" and "Citizen of the Galaxy". Young people can be so easily influenced by writers unscrupulous enough to target them with their political ideologies.

"Merchants" was not a juvenile, it was written for adults, and along with Vonnegut's "Player Piano", it was one of the first warnings from the SF community about what was really lurking in our future.