When Corporations Rule the World

Rating:
Summary: Destructive Impacts of the Corporate World
Review:
Conspicuous consumption, the showing of material goods, and the wasting of resources has plagued the world and continues to threaten both humans and nature. Forests are being cleared, streams are being polluted, the air we breathe is full of toxic substances and landfills keep filling at enormous rates. Industrialization has placed many people at risk from unsafe corporate practices. The challenges brought about by the corporate world have been brought into question in When Corporations Rule the World by David Korten, including global money institutions, corporate down-sizing, increasing poverty, and increasing wealth amongst a small population.
The book, written by a self-addressed conservative, explains how the corporate world has destructive impacts on the global economy and environment and follows with a plan for how to counteract the problems left by the corporate world. Backed by many facts and compelling arguments, Korten claims that human greed and confused ideals is the driving factor for people's motivation and decision-making. In today's world, power is placed in the hands of the few giant corporate leaders. Often times, corporations merge which allows them to control even a greater amount of money and interests. However, Korten believes that citizens and local communities can regain control over the market and make corporate powers earn their profit.
Clearly, corporate powers have been granted power far over what was intended in the beginning. At first, corporate entities that were chartered were kept under watch by both local citizens and governmental control. Corporations were held in check, but slowly were able to gain rights while raising profits. Soon, corporations were able to use its profits to obtain benefits from government decisions. These new laws limited liability of corporate owners that led to new corporate charters being issued. Corporation's private agendas, in their newly established power, raised concern by citizens over the deepening social and environmental destruction that usually centered from corporate power.
However, not all citizens agree with the detrimental effects of corporations and their private agendas. Supporters of big-business argue that it creates economic growth. They also claim that the wealth accumulated on the top eventually works its way down and benefits all members of society. These ideas are not backed by hard evidence. The number of billionaires in the United States increased from one in 1978 to 120 in 1994. The concerning fact is that the wealth is centered on a small part of the population and their agendas do not reflect that of ordinary citizens.
An example Korten provides of how corporations take advantage of ordinary citizens is through what he calls "corporate colonialism." This colonialism translates to how the corporation's interest dominates over human interests. Korten blames the history of corporate-government relations that expands corporate interests by expanding corporate rights and limiting corporate obligations. As explained by Korten, "The major goals were deregulation, economic globalization, and the limitation of corporate liability."
The goals set out by corporations were not the intentions for America. Citizen's rights were passed up and transferred to several huge corporate powers. By amassing several powers, local decisions were not regarded. In general, the corporations kept the consequences of their decisions out of sight and tended to ignore the destruction brought about by their power. Corporations were acting as a governing body in policy-making.
Although Korten seems to smash corporations through every possible way, he still is not anti-business. In fact, he says business can be positive when production decisions are kept local and democratic. Through such things as family farming, neighborhood shops, cooperatives and worker-owned shops, the local community can protect its interests and needs.
It is long overdue for the United States and international community to provide equal opportunity rights for all of its citizens. To combat corporate power, first, corporations must be left out government policy-making. Second, environmental protection must be our central focus. Many countries are consuming far beyond their own environmental limits. Lastly, the citizens must establish power by rebelling against corporate interests. By doing so, civil rights would be preserved and corporations threatened.
There is much evidence that concerns future generations alike. If the environmental destruction is left unheard, soon problems will begin to appear. Local water supplies are being contaminated, agricultural yields have decreased, forested areas are being logged, and respiratory diseases are increasing. Along with population growth stresses, our environment is being pushed far beyond what it can tolerate.
When dealing with such a complex and controversial topic, arguments and interests are commonly called into question. As a nation, economic growth has brought about more problems. There is no simple solution to the problem. It is important to hear both sides of the argument. However, lack of public knowledge about corporate destruction is a factor with the issue at hand. The wealthy have the economic and political power to shape the public's opinion on certain issues. Income inequality has expanded opportunities for the rich at the expense of the poor.
It is time for corporate powers to be held responsible for the destruction they have created. The power must be placed back in the hands of those it was intended for, the citizens and local communities. Homes, livelihoods, and health have been sacrificed for the greed of corporate powers. Sustaining our resources for the livelihood of all people must dominate our interests, and a sense of community established if we are to win the battle against corporate power.


Rating:
Summary: Interesting view...
Review: This is a book that is worth the time you take to read it.
Mr. Korten makes a lot of sense . It is a very comprehensive view of what a corporation is , how it works and how it affects us...this meaning everybody , including CEOs , their families and those in high places.
At the end ,it seems to me that Mr. Korten's proposals for dealing with the problem are sometimes a bit unrealistic...We must and we can "humanize" the capitalistic system , because it is the most rational and efficient way of production known to date. Corrections will come from within the system...human societies do not commit suicide.
And as he clearly states..diversity is required in order to progress as a society. This is not the "end of history"..it is just another step forward.


Rating:
Summary: When Corporations Rule the World
Review: Author David C. Korten addresses some of the main issues affecting the global environment today. In my opinion, anyone who considers him/herself an environmentally conscious person should read this book to broaden his or her sense of environmental thinking. Korten touches upon the issues and concerns that have driven the thoughts and arguments of many people in the past that are concerned with the future. These are such things as human population numbers increasing at such a high rate, which Paul Erlich has written about in the past, to a new line of thinking dominated by the notion that corporations, and more importantly money, is at the root of all environmental problems.
He mentions that only the rich countries can focus on economic growth. I think there is a lot of truth to that. If you can put yourself in a poor and developing country and see what they see and do, and do what they do to survive, there is no way that your main concern is going to be economic growth when it is difficult just to put food on the table. Korten gets at the root of the problem by blaming corporations that are just seeking money. Many of the big global corporations today make most of the pollution today, especially in developed nations like those of Europe and the U.S. These developed and commercialized corporations produce their excessive amount of waste and force underprivileged nations and environmentally concerned citizens to clean it up because it is more economically advantageous to do so.
The leaders of these corporations are also in a tight spot. The CEOs of these big companies are put there for only one reason and that is to further the company by making as much money as they can for the board members and stockholders. If these CEOs fail to come up with new and innovative ways to make money they get fired and are out of luck. In a way the positions of the CEOs and citizens of poorer countries show an unusual similarity. The CEOs are considered some of the wealthiest people in the world but in their civil society they are doing what they have to in order to keep their job and maintain a certain way of life. The citizens of developing countries care about the environment but, in their situations, it is one of the only expendable things they have access to. They are also doing what they have to in order to survive in their respective civil society.
So if environmental problems like deforestation and overpopulation are to be solved, these two very different, but somewhat similar, civil societies must come to each other's aid and work together. Right now the only thing that is really happening is that poor nations are using up their natural resources and destroying ecosystems in order to supply companies like Chiquita Bananas with enough product to make a profit. While doing this, the workers of the poor nations barely get enough money to live off of and often times are forced to make their children work at a young age in order to eat. The idea of globalization is often thought of as a bad thing because people say that the rich countries are forcing their way of life on to others. That is true, but if globalization can be changed to mean that the entire globe works together to solve the environmental drama facing this planet today, it is a step in the right direction towards a healthy Mother Earth.