Filed under: Opinion
Trackback Uri
7 Aug
11
Opinion
13 Jul
11
1 Jul
11
1 Jul
11
27 Apr
11
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Filed under: Opinion
Trackback Uri
19 Mar
11
As sovereign citizens of a self-governing nation we have a complex relationship with the corporation. First and foremost, the corporation as a legal entity exists at our sole discretion. Because we are our own sovereign we have the right to insist (our ability is a different matter) that if we allow the corporate form of entity to be created and to operate in our midst that it do so for our sole benefit.
Our “sole benefit” is complicated because as a citizenry-sovereign we own corporations, work for corporations, supply corporations, live next to corporations, and buy from corporations. When we, as a citizenry, calculate whether or not corporations are working to “our” benefit, we have to be careful to see only the value that they create for “us” as the sovereign, not the value that they simply move around from “us” to “us”.
Corporations create value best when they are forced to compete in order to be rewarded. While there are many bases on which to compete, only competition on quality and productivity create value for “us”. Other sorts of competition, such as bombing each others headquarters, buying government influence, or compromising the safety and well being of their employees reduce the need for companies to compete on quality and productivity. This reduces the amount of value they create for “us.”
The promise of capitalism is that it forces companies to innovate with quality and productivity. When companies compete in ways that do not require them to do this, the promise of capitalism goes unrealized.
As citizens, that promise is made to us. And as citizens it is up to us to require that it be delivered.
Filed under: Opinion
Trackback Uri