When Corporations Rule the World

When Corporations Rule the World
When Corporations Rule the World  
WCRWIIcoverart.gif
Author(s) David Korten
Language English
Publisher Kumarian Press
Publication date 1995
ISBN 1-887208-00-3
OCLC Number 32508180
Dewey Decimal 322/.3 20
LC Classification HD2326 .K647 1995

When Corporations Rule the World is an anti-globalization book by David Korten. Korten examines the evolution of corporations in the United States and argues that corporate libertarians have 'twisted' the ideas of free market economist Adam Smith's view of the role of private companies.

Korten critiques current methods of economic development led by the Bretton Woods institutions and asserts his desire to rebalance the power of multinational corporations with concern for environmental sustainability and what he terms “people-centered development”. He advocates a 50% tax on advertising to counter-attack what he calls "An active propaganda machinery controlled by the world's largest corporations constantly reassures us that consumerism is the path to happiness, governmental restraint of market excess is the cause of our distress, and economic globalization is both a historical inevitability and a boon to the human species." [1]

Korten criticises consumerism, market deregulation, free trade, privatization and what he sees as the global consolidation of corporate power. Above all he rejects any focus on money as the purpose of economic life. His prescriptions include excluding corporations from political participation, increased state and global control of international corporations and finance, rendering financial speculation unprofitable and creating local economies that rely on local resources, rather than international trade.

In an article entitled "A Corporate Believer's Turnabout" which appeared in the New York Times on November 25, 2001 writer Suzanne McCoy noted that Korten already practised what he preached in the book. "The Kortens live on Bainbridge Island, Wash., a spot in the Puget Sound near Seattle that Dr. Korten calls the 'land of ecotopia.' He can practice some of his suggestions here, he said, like buying wine from producers he knows personally." [2]

In a review of the book in Left Business Observer #71 in January 1996, Doug Henwood observed that Korten "offers a vision of 'a market economy composed primarily, though not exclusively, of family enterprises, small-scale co-ops, worker-owned firms, and neighborhood and municipal corporations.' Much of this is desirable. But it would be impossible to run a complex economy on this scale only; it's easy to imagine furniture being made this way, but not trains and computers. If Korten means to do away with trains and computers, he should tell us." [3]

References

External links


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • The Commanding Heights: The Battle for the World Economy —   …   Wikipedia

  • The United States of America —     The United States of America     † Catholic Encyclopedia ► The United States of America     BOUNDARIES AND AREA     On the east the boundary is formed by the St. Croix River and an arbitrary line to the St. John, and on the north by the… …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — Classification Latter Day Saint movement Theology Nontrinitarian, Mormonism Governance …   Wikipedia

  • World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference of 1999 protest activity — Pepper spray dispersed into the crowd. Other names N30 The Battle in Seattle The Battle of Seattle …   Wikipedia

  • World-systems approach — World system approach is a post Marxist view of world affairs, one of several historical and current applications of Marxism to international relations. One of the basics of the approach is its view of imperialism, which for many Marxists during… …   Wikipedia

  • The Principles of Scientific Management — is a monograph published by Frederick Winslow Taylor in 1911. This influential monograph is the basis of modern organization and decision theory and has motivated administrators and students of managerial technique. Taylor was an American… …   Wikipedia

  • The Apprentice (U.S. season 1) — The Apprentice 1 is the first season of The Apprentice , which aired on NBC in the winter and spring of 2004. It is currently available on DVD. It featured 16 candidates.The first season was a ratings smash, ranking at #7 in the average weekly… …   Wikipedia

  • The Epoch Times — Type International newspaper Format Broadsheet Founded 2000 Political alignment …   Wikipedia

  • Economic history of the United Kingdom — The economic history of the United Kingdom deals with the history of the economy of the United Kingdom from the creation of the Kingdom of Great Britain on May 1st, 1707,[1] with the political union of the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of… …   Wikipedia

  • World government — United States of Earth redirects here. For the government in the television show Futurama, see Politics in Futurama. World empire and World State redirect here. For the computer game, see World Empire. For the World State in Brave New World, see… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”