When Corporations Rule the World
 | |
| Author | David Korten |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Kumarian Press |
Publication date
| 1995 |
| ISBN | 1-887208-00-3 |
| OCLC | 32508180 |
| 322/.3 20 | |
| LC Class | 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 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.
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.
Responses[edit]
In a review of the book in Left Business Observer #71 in January 1996, Doug Henwoodobserved:[1]
-----------A handful of corporations and financial institutions command an ever-greater concentration of economic and political power in an assault against markets, democracy, and life. It's a "suicide economy," David Korten says, and it destroys the very foundations of its own existence.
The best-selling 1995 edition of When Corporations Rule the World helped launch a global resistance against corporate domination. In this 20th-anniversary edition, Korten shares insights from his personal experience as a participant in the growing movement for a new economy. A new introduction documents the further concentration of wealth and corporate power since 1995 and explores why our institutions resolutely resist even modest reform. A new conclusion chapter outlines high-leverage opportunities for breakthrough change.
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Jo
5.0 out of 5 starsTruly a masterpieceJuly 7, 2015
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Probably one of the most important books of our time. Truly a masterpiece. While the title fits the theme, this book covers a lot of ground equally maneuvering between fields of economics, social, justice, and more. New chapters are fantastic and frame the book in and even more relevant context. Few people in the world have the scope of knowledge to both understand and challenge global economic development and assess the of role of governments and civilians in this process. Dr. Korten is without question at the forefront of modern progressive theories and solutions to addressing an global economic model far out of balance with Earth and all living beings on it.
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Miller.
4.0 out of 5 starsJust in case you've been asleep since 1900 ...April 13, 2015
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This was a somewhat frightening but quite realistic, in my opinion, look at what the purpose and impact of big corporations in the world we know. If anyone asks you: Name the purpose of a corporation in three words, you will be able to respond quickly, easily and accurately quite early in the book. If you respond with anything other than "Profit for shareholders," you need to turn back to page one. Despite the artifices that the PR departments may conjure up: "sustainability," "social conscience," "war against obesity," and a million and one other charades, the raison d'etre for any multi-national or even giant domestic corporation is to please its owners' if it happens to please anyone else, fine ... and don't ever doubt that!
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Luc REYNAERT
5.0 out of 5 starsA choice for lifeSeptember 1, 2011
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In this extremely hard-hitting book, David C. Korten destroys the super-wealthy façade of the very few by exposing behind it the billions of people facing a continuous uphill struggle for survival. In the name of creating wealth, the powerful few are in fact impoverishing humanity and putting its future at risk. Corporate and financial elites amass(ed) massive economic, financial and political power which dwarfs the power of national governments all over the world.
Means
Corporations and financial institutions (and their core shareholders) with their sole goal of profit maximization force(d) deregulation (liberalization), privatization (dumping public wealth in private hands) and globalization (no national borders) all over the planet. International bodies (World Bank, IMF, WTO) are used as long arms in order to impose corporate agendas and policies on national populations, thereby treating human beings as expendable resources and trading decent salaries for starvation wages.
Their media conglomerates, advertizing agencies and think tanks (with their biased `scientific' reports) are spreading their neo-classical economic gospel of free trade, unlimited consumerism and the myth of growth (generating only growing inequalities) through all outlets. This gospel pretends also that pure self-interest (greed) is the sole means to arrive at socially optimal outcomes!
Corporate cannibalism (mergers and acquisitions) are creating mighty and uncontrolled oligopolies.
Results
National governments are being corrupted and sacrifice democracy to global corporate rule.
Social disintegration, unemployment and environmental destruction are deepening. Billions of people don't have a decent place to live, healthy food to eat, (good) education and health care. Millions have been laid-off.
Necessary alternative policies
David C. Korten still remains optimistic. But, are his recommendations more than wishful thinking?
The many should force the power of money to spread the wealth more equally and to pay more attention to social (living standard), public (education, infrastructure, health care) and environmental (the living earth) issues. Corporations should not be free from human accountability and civic responsibility. Freedom is not limited to market freedom (to buying).
What the world needs is democratic pluralism: a mix of markets, governments (regulations) and civic (social) institutions. In no circumstances can democracy be for sale.
This excellently argued book, like the works of N. Klein, M. Chossudovsky or W. Bello, is a must read for all those preoccupied with the future of our small planet.
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Wyoming resident
5.0 out of 5 starsWhen Corporations Rule the World by Dr. David G. KortenSeptember 27, 2013
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I read the original book when it was published in 1995. This was turned into an updated version of that book. The author is very correct about corporations ruling the world. As an example in this country. corporate agriculture giants are getting all the government subsidies (that they don't really need), while the local farmers continue to struggle.
Alfred P. Sloan, Jr., while president of General Motors, created "planned obsolescence" by having different models of cars from inexpensive to very expensive, and also created the model design change at least every two years to make the consumer have the desire to trade up. Reminded me of a book I read years ago about planned obsolescence called The Wastemakers by Vance Packard. Yes, Dr. Korten has written a great book. Everybody needs to read it.
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Dustin Augustine DeMille, Sir Dicequa of Angelica
5.0 out of 5 starsCorporations Out Of ControlJune 22, 2012
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When Corporations Rule The World
This fantastic book describes how American corporations have accumulated and abused power, waged war against and taken advantage of the poor, corrupted governments with bribery, and harmed our environment. It talks about how billions of money change hands every day and don't really benefit anybody except the financial speculators. Democratic pluralism was responsible for the post-WW2 prosperity of America's Golden Age; we now live in an era where the corporations and have gained too much power and are distorting our public institutions and eliminating the middle class. Real wages have fallen in the past few decades, as wealth inequality has increased. Despite what the Supreme Court said in the dreadful and damaging Citizens United ruling, corporations are not people; we may need a constitutional amendment to affirm this. The author proposed a new world order where the people prioritized quality of life of over money. I highly recommend this intelligent, interesting, and enlightening book.
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