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Supercapitalism : the transformation of business, democarzy, and everyday life
Reich sets out to compare the three decades after World War II with the recent decades noting that in that ?Not Quite Golden Age? the interests of business, labor, community, and government were generally in balance (the times were ?Not Quite Golden? as sizable segments of the population were excluded, namely minorities and women). This balance of capitalism and democracy, however, became unhinged in the seventies with the advent of supercapitalism, Reich?s term for the capitalistic system where companies have become more competitive, global, and innovative seeking the highest profits for investors and offering the lowest prices for consumers. Advances in communication, technology, transportation, and the concentrated power of innovative buying systems have created a far more competitive business environment. In this environment, corporations have become increasingly involved in politics and are now fighting in the political arena hiring ?platoons of lobbyists, lawyers, experts and public-relations specialists? to shape government regulations to their advantage or the disadvantage of their competition. Their public relations masters shape the debates, while their money fuels the political process. In this relentless fight about economic gains investors and consumers profit. On the other side, however, the needs of the citizenry with an interest in social stability and the common good are neglected. Their voice is lost and their political impact marginalized. Reich supports his analysis with many examples. Reich indicates that our own dual nature being both investor/consumer and citizen is the problem; we look for a bargain, but close our eyes to the reality of its economic base, we may drive an SUV but deplore climate change, we look for high investment returns but fail to invest with a long term vision and moral insight. Reich rejects the notion that corporations are people and are being invested with anthropomorphic qualities. "Corporations are legal fictions, nothing more than bundles of contractual agreements" (p. 216). He maintains that corporations cannot be blamed for "corporate greed", nor can they be expected to promote the common good. They are legal entities with the purpose to make profits for investors and shareholders. A corporation will do its best to thrive within the frame work that it is given, - if it does not do so it is at risk to be surpassed by the competition. Reich debunks the concept of "corporate social responsibility" as bogus. He maintains that it should not be the role of corporations to provide health coverage. Corporations are not people and should not be taxed, instead their investors and shareholder need to be taxed on the profits. Corporations should not have the legal standing of a person in court. They cannot act with criminal intent as "they have no human capacity for intent" (p. 219). However, corporations need to be subject to corporate civil liability, as investors should not profit from illegal activity. For Reich, unequivocally, the democratic process should be left only to people, not corporations. "Consumers, investors, executives and other employees all have a right to advance their interest in a democracy" (p. 223), but individually, not through anthropomorphic entities. A clear separation of business and politics will not be easy because "the largest impediment to reform is one brazen fact: Many politicians and lobbyists want to continue to extort money from the private sector. That's how politicians keep their hold on power and lobbyists keep their hold on money." For Reich, the first step to free democracy from the corporate encumbrance "is to get our thinking straight"
Ketersediaan
| Call Number | Location | Available |
|---|---|---|
| Tan 320. 973 01 Rei s | PSB lt.dasar - Pascasarjana | 3 |
| Penerbit | New York Alfred A. Knopf., 2007 |
|---|---|
| Edisi | - |
| Subjek | United States Democracy Capitalism Economic aspects Political aspects Pressure groups |
| ISBN/ISSN | 9780307265616 |
| Klasifikasi | NONE |
| Deskripsi Fisik | ix, 272 p. ; chart, tables, graphics, appendix, 24cm |
| Info Detail Spesifik | - |
| Other Version/Related | Tidak tersedia versi lain |
| Lampiran Berkas | Tidak Ada Data |