The Corporation

Throughout the novel Joel Bakan makes the claim that corporations rule our lives through the domination of our society and government. This, to me, seems like a rather bold claim. Although Bakan supports his argument by sighting several cases in which a regulatory regime has been revoked, he never seems to prove how such a slight freedom from government regulation would lead to complete societal domination. Corporations cannot eliminate the consumer, stockholder, and investor’s free will. It is still the individual’s choice to buy into or become involved with a corporation. Bakan also never explains how corporations impact the way in which consumers function within society. He mentions the development of advertisements by corporations to persuade to buy certain ways, for example a specific brand of car or telephone provider. There is no argument, however, to say that this persuasion is any more significant than the advertisements citizens see every day for individual products.

Bakan continues to argue the corrupt nature of corporations through listing the negative effects the repeal of critical laws has on the environment. The principle downfall for the U.S. regarding corporation regulation was the country joining the World Trade Organization (WTO). Early in the novel he points out two cases in which the WTO claimed the U.S. was in violation of their standards. One case involved banning shrimp imports that use fishing techniques which prove harmful to sea turtles, while the other did similarly to a law that banned beef treated with synthetic hormones. Bakan develops the argument in an attempt to darken the reputation of corporations and argue that they somehow now govern society. I would contest his arguing method. To blame the corporations that benefit from these lessening restrictions and not the government that is responsible for the changes is foolish. Bakan has a solid point in the corruption within the majority of corporations and the harms to certain ecosystems and wildlife but he is attempting to argue these points in an irrational fashion.