Rating: 
Summary: The Corporation is a Sociopath
Review: As a small business owner, I am attuned to the impositions of governmental intrusions. I decided to read this book in order to get a more balanced view. Although this author definitely has a bias, he does not come across as overtly fanatical, and has plenty of examples to document his position.
The corporation is compared to a sociopath. The sociopathic personality is "irresponsible, manipulating, grandiose, lacking in empathy, has asocial tendencies, refuses to accept responsibility for actions, and cannot feel remorse....Many of the attitudes people adopt and the actions they execute when acting as corporate operatives can be characterized as psychopathic."
Moreover, by the legal way a corporation is set up, its only motive is profit. Every action taken, no matter how altruistic it looks, has to ultimately be a search for profits. Otherwise, the corporation is subject to litigation by the shareholders. "The corporation is deliberately programmed, indeed legally compelled, to externalize (dump) costs without regard for the harm it may cause to people, communities, and the natural environment. Every cost it can unload onto someone else is a benefit to itself, a direct route to profit."
"Many major corporations engage in unlawful behavior, and some are habitual offenders with records that would be the envy of even the most prolific human criminals." Following this quote is a list of 42 heavy fines levied over 11 years to GE. This sounds akin to keeping a hardened repeat criminal under perpetual parole with minimal supervision and occasional hand slaps. A law professor is quoted, "The practical business view is that a fine is an additional cost of doing business....the corporation, once convicted and fined, will simply have learned how to cover its tracks better."
Within the past 20 years, corporations have really gotten in bed with government in the United States. Billions in PAC money is spent every year for lobbying and political contributions. "It's very hard for a politician to turn someone down who has given a hundred thousand dollars to [his or her] campaign. In terms of getting in the door and making your case, it's obviously easier." How can virtually unfunded (by comparison) watchdog groups compete with this machine aimed toward sugar-coating their industries and de-regulation.
I recommend this book highly, and am looking at the current political campaign with another view as to why certain programs are supported or not supported. Perhaps in their votes our politicians are exhibiting sociopathic traits they borrowed from their corporate contributors or from lobbyists representing the corporate mindset.
Rating:
Summary: How Do Humans Kill Psychotic Corporations Maximizing Profit?
Review: 1.Corporations Rise to Dominance
a)1865-1885 Railroads cause corporations to become huge.
b)1886 Clerk (ex railroad president) misinterpreted US Supreme case of Santa Clara County v (Stanford's) Southern Pacific Railway to mean corporations were "persons" under 14th amendment (i868) with full constitutional rights
c)1890-1910 Delaware and New Jersey start race to bottom to remove restrictions on growth of corporations (e.g., OK to merge)
d)1908 AT&T start good corporate citizen PR campaign to counter fear of monopolies.
e)1933 US Supreme Court Justice Brandeis believed corporations were evil Frankenstein monsters .
2. Business as Usual
According to Nobelist Milton Friedman, the sole purpose of corporations is to maximize profits for its stockowners.
3.Externalizing Machine
To maximize profits, corporations will dump any costs on others and avoid, understaff, or underfund any law.
4.Democracy Limited
Corporations have no morals or loyalty to the USA.
a)1934-35 Wall Street's richest (e.g. JP Morgan, Pitcairn, Mellon,Rockefeller, Hutton, GM, Pew) plotted to replace FDR with fascist dictator. Plot was thwarted by honest patriotic General Butler. No rich traitors were hanged for treason.
b)1933-1945 GM, Ford, Rockefeller's Standard Oil,IBM and others did profitable business with the Nazi state and Nazi corporations both before and during war in violation of no trading with enemy laws. No rich traitors were hanged for treason.
5.Corporations Unlimited
Corporations exploit everything on planet to maximize profits. Public sectors are being shrunk to open new profit centers.
6.Reckoning or Solutions
a)Bakan empasizes stronger regulations, more political democracy and robust public sphere. This method will fail becuase as economist Stigler noted the House, Senate, and federal agencies with revolving doors have been captured by the rich via the corporations they own.
b)This reviewer has more hope in the courts.
Citizens should follow Luther's example of nailing his theses on church doors. Citizens should nail the 1886 US Supreme Court case of Santa Clara County v (Stanford's) Southern Pacific Railway on every courthouse door. It would be a massive protest of real people against fake persons.
c)The 50 state attorney generals.
Corporate charter cancelation laws are a well-kept secret. This reviewer suggests spreading the word. Spitzer's view of these laws is also inspiring (p 157):
"If a corporation is convicted of repeated felonies that harm or endanger human beings or destroy our environment, the corporation should be put to death, its corporate existence ended, and its assets taken and sold at public auction."
Rating: 
Summary: Paradigm Shift
Review: After reading the review of this book in USA Today I knew I should check it out at the library. This book examines corporations (the large ones publicly traded), their evolution, anture and influence. I found it very eye opening and it has irrevocably changed the way that I not only look at corporations but society, politics and myself. The book has the feel of a college research paper (a very well written one) especially in the fact that it evolves from a thesis and statements of fact into ideas, opinions and suggestions. What I liked the most about this is that this book is not like others of its nature. By the end the author has not only clearly identified what is fact and opinion but his suggestins are general enough to be thought provoking, not overly general and not so severe to be repellent. The preface of the book states that it does not use technical terms in order to appeal to the lay reader as well as the professional, which it does. However I think that the lay reader will benefit from this work more than the professional. The lay reader will learn a lot about the busness world and its impact where the professional may wish to skip the beginning and get right into the author's observations, ideas and insights. Also, I highly recommend reading this with an open mind. Since this presents one side of a subject I'm sure that there are those who would disagree with its findings and conclusions. I doubt though that anyone else would encourage the investigation of their findings as this author does with plenty of footnotes and a bibliography.
Rating:
Summary: Wake up America
Review: and smell that corporate coffee. Joel Bakan has thankfully written a wonderfully concise book on the dominant instution that is currently steering mankind to the brink of destruction: the modern corporation. The big point: Corporations are legally bound to act only in the interest of their shareholders. That's it. Any public benefit is limited ONLY TO THE EXTENT that their shareholders will profit. Given this assumption, it becomes easy to see how the burden of the corporation's indescretions are shifted to of all mankind, thus threatening our very survival. Bakan's institutional analysis is sound, and worthy of every man or woman's undivided attention. If you haven't read it, also read Noam Chomsky's "Understanding Power." That book is a strong partner to this fine text by Bakan.
Rating:
Summary: A manual for the people
Review: Bakan has written an important book for citizens of the modern world, especially Americans. It is similar to Tom Paine's _Common Sense_ (1776), in that it argues its case forcefully with reason, facts, and a clear urgent voice calling for change. What the book argues is that the corporation has become a dangerously dominant institution. Dangerous in that its for-profit motive precludes it by nature from any genuine social responsibility, and the individuals who subsist within it are forced to adopt its shark-like, selfish system of values to survive. Dominant in that the corporation, in its relentless need to accrue more profit, is pushing out into every nook and cranny of society, privatizing formerly public spheres like the US education system, and in the privatization sacrificing public interest for private gain. At 167 pages, it's a quick, informative read packed with real and convincing evidence that corporations, because of their sole mandate from shareholders to maximize profit in whatever way works best, are evil by nature (or at best, amoral) and need to be regulated. The book does address alternative viewpoints and contains snippets from an interview with the celebrated conservative economist Milton Friedman; while this adds great value to the book, I would have loved to have seen even more of such dialogue between Bakan and Friedman's polarized attitudes toward the corporation. I may pick up a Friedman book to compliment this one. Before I tell you the reason why I docked this book a star, let me say that I think the book fills a much needed gap in mass-marketable volumes commenting on the corporation and its effect on the individual citizen. "The Commanding Heights" is a wonderful economic book for non-economists covering global, macro trends in the economy, but it does not address the institution of the corporation and its impact on the average citizen as this one does -- in showing with many examples how corporate malfeasance harms the individual I think this book is particularly strong. The disappointment is this: on the back flap, the book claims "Bakan believes change is possible and outlines a far-reaching program of concrete, pragmatic, and realistic reforms through legal regulation and democratic control." Well, this is something Bakan probably wrote in his query letter to the publisher as a selling point of the book; it sounds good, and it was the pumpkin pie I was looking forward to at the end of the meal. As it turns out, Bakan has no real solutions. He actually wastes paper saying, "Though solutions to this problem must ultimately be democratically fashioned by 'the people,' not by a law professor sitting in front of his computer, I do want to conclude with some general thoughts about how we might move forward." ...And these thoughts are very obvious and very general and very unvisionary. It felt like the end of the book, which should have been the best part, the real opportunity for substantive critical meat, was finished off in a flurry and rushed to the publisher. Too bad -- for, though it is a provocative report, this book joins the rest of the mediocre multitudes that point out problems but offer up no real solutions for the present. But am I being fair? *Are* there any immediate solutions to so vast a problem of the now-engrained corporate infection plaguing society? Probably not. And though the text itself acknowledges this, the back flap is misleading and shouldn't have made the claim (I was really salivating over that promise of good pie).
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: Bakan's thesis is right on the mark. Its readabilty and brevity are its strongest points. I especially enjoyed the story of the 1934 coup plot by corporate powers against the FDR administration. I hadn't seen it before, although I'd seen the Gen. Smedley Butler quote on foreign interventions of the Marines at least twice before. And, the characterization of corporations as legal psychopaths was great.
If were to add anything, it would be a brief discussion of finance theory and its implications with respect to corporate behavior. For example, if a corporation performed an action which had a 1% chance of destroying the Earth in 100 years, in order to increase profits by 10% now, and it was legal, it would be right thing to do from a financial standpoint.
I do not share his optimism about the potential for change, at least in the near term. So long as the campaign finance system is reformed, significant change is impossible. What is needed is for the US Supreme Court to realize the obvious: in politics, the paid speech by non-citizens (corporations)abridges the free speech rights of citizens by drowning it out. Unfortunately, it is unclear if their is enough integrity on the existing Court to take appropriate action even if this viewpoint was circulated among them.
Rating:
Summary: www.thecorporation.com
Review: Check out the website: www.thecorporation.com
If you purchase the book on the website, benefits will go the documentary film (by the same title) and its pr efforts. Otherwise, the distributors will get most of the profits.
Also, go online to see if the documentary film will be in a theatre near you!
Rating: 
Summary: Bad. No, just plain stupid.
Review: Corporation has undoubtedly helped firms shift production possibilities and helped to reduce production and 'transaction' costs and thereby improve societies welfare overall. Corporations, it should also be noted, are not entirely profit motivated; well-informed managers (usually different people to the much-less-informed owners) sometimes forgo profit to pursue their own often merit-worthy interests (for example, to benefit fellow-workers or community). Further, governments are not powerless to impose regulation on 'social' costs created by corporate transactions.
My point is that the story of the corporation is complex and constantly evolving. The author almost entirely ignores this. Clearly the subject is less taxing on the mind when a writer characterises, such as this author giving corporations monster-like tendencies, and to be highly selective with 'facts' and testimonies to engender an emotional response. Funny thing that these techniques also tend to sell well.
Corporations were designed by people and are run by people and as in any society there are always going to be mistakes and misdeeds. Our ability to learn from them and henceforth make the world a better place is the very essence of humankind. This book does not contribute to that process.
Do not waste your money on this lazy and probably opportunistic critique of corporations.
Rating:
Summary: A scathing expose of corporate America
Review: I saw the documentary "The Corporation:The Pathological Pursuit of Profit and Power" over a month ago not too long after "Fahrenheit 9/11". The film is based on the Joel Bakan book of the same title. Joel goes into depth about the history of corporations which basically goes back to the early 1800s and all the way up to the present day. The results is a scathing expose of irresponsibility and greed that corporations handles business. Joel Bakan argues that corporate America has taken over the world and as a result has sent this country and this country one a one way trip to Hades with its lack of concern for human rights and the environment. Human rights and the environment have been trampled countless times by companies like Exxon (i.e the Exxon Valdez scandal in Alaska), Nike (sweatshops in South America), and the list goes on. Then there are corporations like Shell that sets up environmental programs that they claim that will give back to the planet to shield their true interest which is the bottom line. What really scared me the most was how Rupert Murdoch (the founder of Fox News) is trying to use the media to shove his political view points by buying up as many television and radio stations he can own. Case in point over a news story on genetically altered milk. Two reporters in Florida are forced to alter their expose just to make it look good for the news station manager's eyes. Ever since the government gave up its control over corporations, corporations today have been able to pursue its self-interests of the bottom line regardless of who gets hurt in the long run just as long as the stockholders are happy. You think the media is biased? It sure is...any station owned by Rupert Murdoch is going to be biased. After that disgusting story about genetically altered milk, I will never look at milk in the same light again. Reading "The Corporation" and seeing the documentary help gave me some insight to how a corporation works and the long-term effects it has on people and the environment. Not only should the corporations be held accountable for trampling on human rights and the environment but so should the stockholders that the CEOS pay lipservice to. Read this book and see the movie and I guarantee you that you will be disgusted by corporate America.
Rating:
Summary: Food for thought about the role of corporations in our lives
Review: Joel Bakan has made a very thoughtful and convincing presentation about how corporations have come to play an ever increasing role in all of our lives. And he argues vehemently that this is not a good thing. Before the advent of the corporation most larger businesses were partnerships. Under this arrangement all of the partners could be held personally liable for any losses incurred by the business. With the advent of the corporation, investors were relieved of this personal liability. And this according to Bakan is one of the major problems. The sole purpose of a corporation is to make money for its shareholders. And as a practical matter corporations pursue profits at the expense of anything and everything and every one in their way. There is no room for morality in corporations. A few well-intentioned CEO's have tried place significant emphasis on moral concerns. But due to the nature of the beast it is almost always doomed to failure.
There is an old expression that "nature fills a void". Corporations operate in much the same fashion. When city and state governments are strapped for cash, corporations are ready and willing to step in. It is not because they are benevolent or good citizens. It is because it is good business to do so. Bakan cites the disturbing example of Channel One, a daily TV news program seen by 40% of the students in the U.S. Corporations provide all kinds of electronic gear to schools in exchange for a promise that students will watch the news program on a daily basis. And of course this news program is "brought to you by" any number of major corporations. Now I am a pretty conservative fellow, but I share the authors outrage at practices like this. And while I am a big advocate of private and parochial schools as an alternative to the public school system I abhor the concept of "for profit" schools run by corporations. Are we interested in producing good well-rounded citizens or automotons to one day work in the corporate world? Joel Bakan cites many other issues where the interests of corporate America clash with the interests of the average citizen. And who is out there speaking up for us? This is a well written book that deserves your attention.
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