Book Review 1 - The Corporation

I'll start by saying that if i am actually taking the trouble to write about a book i've read it will mean there is a 99% probability i liked it and would reccomend it or would like people to read it. What i mean is even if i wouldn't reccomend it as such because it might not be to everyones taste i think they should damn well read it anyway. The odd exception to this might be if i read a book so virulently bad i feel the need to tear into it and say just how awful it is, say if i ever read anything by Ann Coulter or Rush Limbaugh.

This first review is of The Corporation: The Pathological Pursuit of Profit and Power by Joel Bakan, a companion piece to the documentary of the same name. Before i even read this i was really pleased to stumble across it as i'd been aware of the documentary and had been meaning to look out for its UK release. However it not being a hugely advertised hollywood film i managed to miss it, it was probably only on in places like the GFT and i'm terrible at checking listings for films i might like to see. Mostly because no other bugger is ever willing to watch 75% of the films i'd go to see.

The basic contention of the book is that the modern day corporation is psychopathic in it's nature and will lie, steal and kill without hesitation if it serves the interests of its shareholders. That it will obey the law only when the cost of the crime exceeds the profits and any nods towards social responsibility are impossible except when they are insincere.

To make the point about the corporation being literaly psychopathic the author sought the opinion of renowned psychologist Dr Robert Hare, who applied his diagnostic checklist of psychopathic traits. Needless to they matched up rather well, "The corporation is irresponsible, Dr. Hare said, because "in an attempt to satisfy the corporate goal, everybody else is put at risk." Corporations try to "manipulate everything, including public opinion," and they are grandiose, always insisting "that we're number one, we're the best." A lack of empathy and asocial tendencies are also key characteristics of the corporation, says Hare-"their behaviour indicates they don't really concern themselves with their victims"; and corporations often refuse to accept responsibility for their own actions and are unable to feel remorse:"if [corporations] get caught [breaking the law], they pay big fines and they... continue doinf what they did before anyway. And in fact in many cases the fines and penalties paid by the organisation are trivial compared to the profits that they rake in."

This well researched book speaks to big business figures, prominent critics of the corporate world we live in, as well as Milton Friedman possibly the foremost exponent of neo-liberal economics. Bakan describes the origins of the corporation and and gives a good account of the history of the corporation, from being banned in England in 1720 to their current powerful position in society where they see themselves as in partnership with government.

If you are even vaguely interested in the wider world that we live in then you will find this an easy book to read. It's concise and well argued and well there is always the film if you feeling lazy.