... or a Solution to Corporations?
Not so long ago, I read John Michael Greer's book, The Long Descent, and found 
it to be an excellent, thought-provoking exposition on our shared future in the declining resource world. Greer's fundamental thesis is that despite the cresting of the cheap energy era, our chances of complete, Hobbesian collapse and chaos are much less likely than a slow, steady roll into a de-industrialized future. If you've read James Kunstler's The Long Emergency, and then feared for your future, then The Long Descent may be for you.
it to be an excellent, thought-provoking exposition on our shared future in the declining resource world. Greer's fundamental thesis is that despite the cresting of the cheap energy era, our chances of complete, Hobbesian collapse and chaos are much less likely than a slow, steady roll into a de-industrialized future. If you've read James Kunstler's The Long Emergency, and then feared for your future, then The Long Descent may be for you.After reading his book, I traveled over to Greer's blog - The Archdruid Report (yep, he's a druid). And right off the bat, I found another interesting location in the intertubes to read and ponder. In a post this week, Greer lays out some thoughts on the difficulties powerful special interests and corporations are wreaking on our polity and our attempts to respond the the dynamic world around us. Its an interesting post, but what really caught my eye was Greer's thoughts about how to deal with the "personhood" corporations have long enjoyed in the United States. (Yep, in many ways, corporations in this country have all the rights of a living citizen.... you can think a 19th Century Supreme Court ruling for that!). Greer suggests that if corporations are indeed "persons," then perhaps they should also suffer for the felony crimes they commit:
"My more perceptive readers may be wondering at this point whether I’m seriously proposing that corporations should be thrown in jail or put to death. Yes, that’s what I’m proposing, with the adjustments needed to account for the differences between corporate persons and natural persons. What’s the essential nature of imprisonment for a crime, after all? The criminal ceases to be a free person; for a specified period of time, he is a chattel of society, and society has the right to profit from his labor during that period. And capital punishment? The criminal, having proven that he isn’t willing to abide by even the most minimal standards of social existence, ceases to exist by act of society. Both of these can be applied to corporations easily enough."
An interesting thought, no? Personally, I'd rather see the corporations stripped of their "rights" as persons in the eyes of the law. But, this would seem an appropriate remedy and fair treatment of all "persons" (living and corporate) under the laws.
Greer is far more optimistic than I amthat such taming of our out-of-control corporation could actually occur. Nevertheless, I do agree with him that "the power of corporate interests might more usefully be seen as a response to the general weakness of all other parties." If and when these "other parties" (labor, main street business, disaffected minorities, etc) learn (and re-learn) how to focus their political power, then we might just see an end to corporate personhood, or failing that, adoption of corporate sentancing outlined above. After all, are we Melians, bound to suffer "what we must?"
No. I think not.
Updated 1-10-09: Here is a short video from McClatchey and the Real News Network discussing the upcoming SCOTUS ruling on Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. The decision, which is due soon, portends to lighten existing regulation of corporate "persons" and put even more of their money into our political election process. Take a look:
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7 comments:
When the Corps. are the Government, then the problem is beyond control. We have allowed these International Corps. and Banksters to write our laws governing themselves. They are the government, and they have deemed our military to protect their interests around the world. The internationalists do not have any affiliation to any one country. It is power, greed, control and their own hubris that furthers their own agenda. They have found a safe haven in the U.S.A. for now.
So, what do we do about it?
To make our country less hospitable to these corporations, we have to regain control of our government. To regain control of our government, we have to mobilize and empower our fellow Citizens. There are plenty of angry Citizens out there, and a few are mobilized (the most vocal - aka Tea Baggers - are actually mobilized by the Corporations themselves!). But their numbers are very small and in effect they are powerless.
The corporatists and banksters may think that this situation is acceptable (it is to them so far). But I think there is a big undercurrent of anger, perhaps destructive anger, running through the body politic. So far, that anger has remained non-violent. But our national history does not suggest this will remain so...
SP
I'm a righty troll who stumbled in hoping to pick a Sunday morning fight, but unlike most lefy blogs, you get to the root cause and you actually make sense.
Although a vast gulf exists on the political spectrum between you and I, we focus on the same things: The Constitution, our rights, and how the government has gone wrong by getting in bed with corporations, banksters, wall street, and big money interests.
This is a bi-partisan problem. The Democrat Republican show is bread and circuses to keep us arguing over superficialities.
Yes, there are big differences in the parties, but they both steal our liberties while wiping their feet on the constitution.
The only way to fix all of this is to take away the power DC has usurped and return it to the states and the people.
I'm not holding my breath. Since George Washington, when has anyone voluntarily relinquished power?
I disagree with much of what you say, but I admire the logical way take on these important issues.
SP; and SF; Unfortunately the problem is bigger than a few Corps. Here is a macro sense of it.
http://realityzone-realityzone.blogspot.com/2010/01/trilateral-commission-global-shadows.html
They have no party, country or even God affiliation. Power and control is their agenda.
Welcome Silverfiddle... Nothing says we cannot disagree. And I appreciate what you have to say.
We do agree with a lot as you point out. Perhaps taking DC's power away may make things better. I suspect it will definitely make things more local -- and there are many, many places in our country that cannot make it without a national government sharing resources (ie money) to them (the desert SW comes to mind).
What we need in Washington is problem solving on behalf of ALL the citizens -- not just the ones who can stuff the most money (bribes) into our politicians hands.
As for giving up power voluntarily, you're right that there are few (if any) who have done so. It speaks to a certain lack of character in those that would lead, no?
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and RZ, thanks for the link -- I will take a look. When the Trilateral Commission is mentioned, one automatically recoils in apprehension -- NWO, black helicopters, UN etc etc. Based on what I've seen in my life, I remain pretty skeptical that there is (or even can be) a shadow world government. Not that there cannot be powerfully interests/elites who shared some philosophies and by their independent actions, shape the course of nations and history. But in a truly coordinated fashion? I'm not so sure...
SP
RE; "(ie money) to them (the desert SW comes to mind)."
LMAO, I live in the SW. lol We need jobs, jobs, jobs, just like every where else in the country. AZ. is a failed state. We will be one of the last to come out of this recession, if we ever come out at all. There has also been chatter about turning the U.S.A. into regions. Or you can go the other way, and think of the NAU possibility. Either way it does not look good right now. The political infighting is what is killing this country. Dems. and Repubs. have to start thinking of these problems as American problems. Not for their own political gain.
The political infighting is what is killing this country. Dems. and Repubs. have to start thinking of these problems as American problems. Not for their own political gain.
Amen.
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