RE: [greenyes] FW: Corporation as Psychopath

[Nicky Scott <NScott@no.address>]

I think I said big not for profit companies are rare implying that they
weren't too cosy either!  It seems to be the getting big that distorts
democracy and anything else for that matter - and yes of course it's all too
simplistic - you can have very good privately owned companies after all what
are SME's (well they are small to medium sized enterprises actaually ed!)
and they are often small family run businesses mom and pop stores and the
like and all kind of entrprenurial (I can never spell that) businesses - but
they have the potential to grow out of touch and proportion and end up
having to make money for their shareholders.  We've had the problems here
with Stae owned companies like the railway being privatised by the right
wing GOV of Thatcher now in a shambles - now the debates are all about our
National Health service.  I agree it is part of human condition to want to
make money and that is the dilemma of the co-operative vs the family run
shop ( I know from personal experience here!) the original movers and
shakers put their all into setting up the business and then new staff are
employed and of course want to work the hours they are contracted and paid
for - they can't compete with the family owned corner shop on hours of
business etc.
There are no easy answers here - but it is the ability of corporations to
transcend (wrong word!) National barriers and buy off whole countries
effectively which makes them so difficult to bring to account.

Apparently the book isn't due for release here until July

Nicky Scott

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Helen Spiegelman [SMTP:hspie@no.address]
> Sent:	25 February 2004 16:04
> To:	
> Subject:	RE: [greenyes] FW: Corporation as Psychopath
> 
> Nicky, I urge you to look more closely at your assumption that "big not
> for 
> profit companies" are inherently more cozy and lovable than any other 
> corporation.
> 
> Here in Canada heads are rolling in several of our big not-for-profit 
> companies (Via Rail, Canada Post, et al.) because of appalling patronage 
> scandals that are shaking the new government of Canada. Likewise our 
> provincial SPCA was recently in the news because of a CEO milking the 
> organization for his own and his appointees' benefit. Not-for-profit 
> corporations are no less susceptible to abusive practices than for-profit
> ones.
> 
> And to make things more confounding, I believe it is an overstatement to 
> say that you can really only be accountable transparent and fair when the 
> pursuit of personal profit is removed.
> 
> There's something puritanical about the view that we shouldn't have 
> for-profit factor in business. I have this sense that profit-seeking is as
> 
> fundamental a part of the human condition as sex! The point is not to 
> pretend that it doesn't or shouldn't exist, but to make sure it doesn't 
> abuse anyone, right?
> 
> How about this for an early morning musing: corporations, if you will, are
> 
> huge global pimps that exploit workers and the environment to advance
> their 
> own interests.
> 
> (BTW, is this conversation happening because of the recent release of the 
> much-acclaimed Canadian independent film "The Corporation"?)
> 
> Helen.
> 
> 
> 
> At 01:59 AM 2/25/2004, Nicky Scott wrote:
> >I'd like to see an example of this cosy lovable corporation - surely it's
> an
> >oxymoron?  I think democracy was a good idea in ancient greece and it
> >certainly can work on a small scale and also- unfortunately we don't seem
> to
> >have come up with anything that works better - still we end up with
> >Presidents in power that not only 'lost' the election but who most people
> >did not vote for (or didn't vote because - what a choice!)  The point of
> >this tangent is to point out that you can really only be accountable,
> >transparent and fair in organisations when the pursuit of personal profit
> is
> >removed. You can have big not for profit companies - though they are rare
> -
> >and we need to help develop more ethical not for profit businesses - but
> as
> >long as transnationals corporations are trying to find the cheapest
> labour
> >in the world under regimes who have little concern for environmental
> issues
> >supported by governments (or is that 'that support governments?')  - then
> >the future is bleak indeed - I'm not relishing the prospect of Siberian
> >winters here whilst everyone seems to be blindly buying enormous SUV's.
> >We need companies and governments that invest in people and the
> environment
> >- or are we hoping to find another planet to move to (Mars perhaps)  -
> not
> >in paying CEO's disgustingly inflated salaries.
> >If you think it is bad in the States can I recommend 'the dark heart of
> >Italy' by Tobias Jones - to see how Bush is a pussycat compared with
> >Berlusconi!  He is the richest man in Italy owns most of the television
> and
> >press and has been changing the law so that he himself is not liable to
> be
> >investigated.  Happy reading
> >
> >Nicky Scott
> >Community Composting Network
> >UK