Global corporations are ruthless, irrational, dishonest - & more powerful than governments. What can we do?

Question

Multi-national corporations exist solely to increase their power & profits. Their economic power dictates to governments (threatening to withdraw trade, goodwill or capital), as they fund political parties & campaigns, control the media, and corrupt public officials to ensure their interests are prioritised above all else. Disproportionate power & its systematic abuse is a key dynamic in the world's seemingly intractable problems:
Third World Poverty? Support despotic regimes / scupper fair trade/ oppress popular reform movements/ exploit resources.
Environmental Crisis? Block regulating legislation/ continue use of dirty fuels to protect their investment/ suppress decentralised power generation.
War? Control resources at all costs.
Corporations are compelled to seek profit above all, with no moral constraint. They are sick, psychopathic institutions with almost unfettered power. Their madness infects every aspect of life.
Can we cure their sickness - and our own? If so, how?

Answer 1

Concerned people should look for organisations to support their personal interests and lobby governments to do their job of legislating to change morality. This has already been achieved to a large extent in the tobacco industry and by animal rights organisations in the cosmetics industry.

The novel by John Le Carre, "The Constant Gardener", is about multi-national pharmaceutical companies using - and killing - poor Africans, to get their new drugs tested and subsequently approved fast - a similar topic to this question.

The filmakers have set up The Constant Gardener Trust, to help specifically the communities they had met and worked with during the shoot. Their aim is to help improve basic sanitation and education for those that are most in need. It is a small organization, hoping to achieve big things and a new ethos of responsible filmmaking along the way, but they know that the best and most lasting change comes through careful thought and collaboration with the people they are trying to help.

The link below may be of interest to concerned individuals as you can take a look at the projects they have already funded and those that they are continuing with, as well as future plans.

However, the key to change is concentration on changing one industry at a time (as with cosmetics and tobacco).

Answer 2

The industry has spoken, the industry isn't some magical Genie. It reflects what we've completed. China has a huge financial device, and individuals make China look lots extra hefty then that's. China has multiple funds all in funds, so in the event that they stop commerce with the U. S. the fee of the U. S. dollar will take a dive. So if China had a million Million US funds (i be attentive to its extra yet for simplicity's sake) it may exchange into 0.5 a million funds. China isn't any key. i'm chinese language and am asserting this. the international financial device is extremely American-centralized. so we are able to restoration the yank financial device via scuffling with "stimulus plans" The industry isn't any game, it weeds out opposition, good now its telling US many companies are not extra wholesome. We enable the recession take place, devoid of increasing taxes on importations. as quickly as the U. S. starts to enhance the international will persist with, they'll start to purchase from China(as properly as from Europe and India) returned. anybody will usually start to enhance. this is no longer a disaster the industry is doing what it does superb, that's Capitalism at its height. You compete for the industry. stop freaking out, some funds may well be mandatory as a stimulus yet i do no longer see a reason to stop the international financial device with fee lists. It should not be disregarded. 0.5 the reason we are doing so undesirable is using the fact the Media turns each and everything right into a cleansing soap opera. merely go away or no longer this is, the industry will proper itself. in line with risk with some companies long previous, however the international is functionally capitalist. So stop panicking and brace your self for some tough years. enable the faulted companies circulate down.

Answer 3

There is only one solution to that problem and that is blow them to hell and I mean it literally! take the wealth and distribute it fairly among the people.
If we destroyed them then the little man can get back on his feet, economy's would fail obviously to a certain degree but if we placed our intellect and our skills into a more environmental approach to living, our economy's would eventually level out.

Corporations are responsible for all the crap in this world and the destruction of the planet, people don't give a **** though because they are all conformist capitalist pigs who would rather work for these evil propagandist's and have all the comforts than face a more rewarding future...

Answer 4

It went to far - basically only a handful of global corporations are controlling the world. Yes, some changes have been implemented but that's just the sand in one's eyes. I wondered myself what can be done and honestly, only way I see them falling down is defeating them in their own game - pretend to be just another young, greedy, power hungry person and become a CEO, build your own corporation, gain political power. And once inside, it's much easier to either change it or destroy it.

Answer 5

It means you gotta stop buying all those brands & designer labels.
Going back to autarcy, growing fruit and veg in your back yard (if you've got one). I'll take care of the vegetable patch and I don't mind weaving (I saw the film Ghandi) but I don't fancy killing chickens in the bathroom.

Answer 6

sci fi wrters spotted this was going to happen years ago, 1984, brave new world et al so just sit back and enjoy the ride to no control

Answer 7

I disagree with your hypothesis. Corporations exist to maximize stakeholder value, and the stakeholders are ultimately individuals.

Answer 8

If there was something we could do I'd be doing it now. It's just one big steamroller.

Tesco's taking over the world!

Answer 9

Live off the land.

Answer 10

Boycot them and their capitalist ideals. Easier said than done though!