Are global corporations in charge of the world?

Who rules the world?

It used to be kings, but a new book called "Power, Inc.: The Epic Rivalry between Big Business and Government, and the Reckoning that Lies Ahead" argues that global corporations are now in charge.

Author David Rothkopf is a former Commerce Department official, and now editor-at-large of Foreign Policy magazine.

In his book, Rothkopf discusses the population size of various corporations and compares them with countries. For instance more people work at Walmart worldwide than live in countries such as Botswana and Slovenia. Rothkopf said the comparison is to point out the power of various companies and the political influence they wield.

"It has an impact on the outcome of things," Rothkopf said. "Who do you think had more impact on the global climate talks, Sweden or Exxon? Exxon had more political power. If it has more influence, they're going to sort of pursue things in a direction that serves their bottom line. That's what they're legally supposed to be doing. What we need is a balance. Particularly on the global stage we need a balance. We don't have international institutions that can balance it. The government's power is shrinking more and more every day."

Rothkopf discussed reform he hopes to see going forward. For his ideas and more on the balance of government and corporations, watch the video in the player above.