Corporations Need Treatment, Documentary Argues

[DUreader]

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0120-03.htm


TORONTO - Corporations are not only the most powerful institutions in the world, they are also psychopathic, a
new Canadian documentary on globalization elegantly argues.

While the corporation has the rights and responsibilities of ”a legal person”, its owners
and shareholders are not liable for its actions. Moreover, the film explains, a
corporation's directors are legally required to do what is best for the company,
regardless of the harm created.

What kind of person would a corporation be? A clinical psychopath, answers the
documentary, which is now playing in four Canadian theatres.

”Everything we do in the world is touched by corporations in some way,” says 'The
Corporation' writer Joel Bakan.

[DevilsAdvocate2]

1. And for this reason

Corporations should not be allowed to make campaign donations. But then, neither should unions or Native American tribes. I am of the mind that only individuals should be allowed to contribute to a candidate. The reason I mentioned Native American tribes is because of the "state within a state" designation. Foreign gov'ts can't contribute to campaigns. Remember the stink about Clinton and China?

[DUreader]

2. Corporations are prohibited from making campaign donations

of course there are all kinds of loopholes

[reprobate]

3. I support the death penalty.

The death penalty for corporations.

I have this vision of a perfect world in which a corporation can be brought to trial for actions against the people, and if found guilty it's charter can be revoked. I believe the best way for this to happen would be in the World Court.

If the charter is revoked, it's stock would be worthless. I'm not a lawyer so don't know the legal ramifications, but I can see the ownership being transferred to it's employees. This would be the best way to keep the business operating, and almost guarantee that management would shy away from any actions that harm people or the environment; stockholders would tar and feather managers who caused their stock to be worth nothing.

[denverbill]

4. I think that's the wrong policy.

If the CEO of a corporation does something illegal, it isn't the corporation that should pay for his ineptitude. In most cases, the corporation still performs a useful function and in all likelihood, neither the shareholders or the majority of employees are to blame.

Why further punish Qwest employees or Qwest shareholders for the poor business decisions of the managers they hired?

[reprobate]

8. So how would YOU control Corporate Predators?

Since management is almost always protected behind the 'corporate veil', there currently is little or no method to rein in these corporate sharks.

And I see no reason to protect shareholders. As it stands today shareholders are supposed to be the owners of a corporation. But with corporate governance the way it is today no individual or group of individual stockholders can have any effect on the running of a corporation. I think it high time that the stockholder, who profits from the illegal or immoral actions of the corporation, be held accountable for the actions of the corporation, at least by having their profits taken away. Fair is Fair. If you derive profit from a corp, as an owner you should be interested in how the corp behaves as a citizen.

And I'm not talking about hurting the employees. I'm saying that the employee has a bigger stake in the business than the stockholder does. With employees being owners, you'll usually find that the corporation is run better and more fairly. And the profits go to them, not some institution holding millions in stocks.

Read my signature line. I'm not alone.

[mhr]

5. Unequal Protection By Thom Hartmann

Best Book On The Subject.

A Worthy Read.

www.thomhartmann.com/unequalprotection.shtml

[Karenina]

6. And if the book is too much

Hartmann has written concise articles which commondreams.org must have in its archives.

But here's just another little teenie weenie case in point:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=323142

[KT2000]

7. Psychopath is right!

One of the arguments used successfully by corporations that pollute and cause illness is: "We have children too. Why would we do something that may harm our families."

Well, the fact that they are likely psychopaths reporting to a psychopathic organization allows them to rationalize and compartmentalize. Even if they do have illness in their family they would never make the connection to their pollution. Of course, many of them do not get as sick as the residents since they live in communities upwind (doctors do that too).

[Dirk39]

9. Corporations don't have children....

"The corporation cannot be ethical, its only responsibility is to make a profit" (Milton Friedman)
The death penalty against their CEOs wouldn't be fair.
But puting institutions like corporations into lunatic asylums or to simply kill them, 'cause they are not of any use for humanity, and puting them into the dustbin doesn't even harm the environment...

Sounds fair to me. Even fishs have feelings, never heard a corporation's cry. O.K. I don't have much feelings for corporations.

People are so so stupid in the west. Capitalism is our god, capitalism is holy. Rather kill their CEO's - which are still human beings, although very limited ones, if you ask me - than destroying mindless idiotic institutions.
Fits very well into the general scheme. Rather let millions of people die for the IMF and the worldbank, but don't touch any of these instituions or we call you a terrorist.

Hello from Germany,
Dirk

[Karenina]

12. Pollute? Cause illness?

Naaaah, They wouldn't do THAT!!!

http://www.guerrillanews.com/globalization/doc3764.html

[Dirk39]

10. I propose we should kill all human beings,

they are such a threat to freedom, democrazy and the free market. They're doing what they want to do, no matter how many billions of dollars corporations spent to wash their brains. Sometimes they even don't buy the products we want them to buy. We will never ever control these stupid idiotic human beings. It's a utopian idea that doesn't work.
Let's kill all human beings, let's commit the ultimate genocide. Let's give the world back to the corporations and let the free market rule. There will be no more wars, no more revolutions...
Peace on earth,
Dirk

[Voltaire99]

11. Capitalism has been sentimentalized

Any sane society would move to control, reform and if necessary punish the corporations that are destroying its environment and wreaking chaos throughout its social, financial, political and legal institutions.

Americans did once before, somewhat hesitantly, in the early 20th century. The lesson of antitrust should have taught us that unchecked capitalism is like an unchecked forest fire.

Instead, here we are, a century later, our TVs and radios blaring all day long about our great system and its great wise men.