Michael Benton: Comments After Watching the Documentary The Corporation

(This film is available in both BCTC's and UK's libraries)

The Corporation (Mark Achbar and Jennifer Abbott: USA 2003)



What we have to remember is that "corporations" are a major part of the global economy and global culture, as well as our daily lives, the way in which we entertain ourselves, how we attain knowledge/information, etc...

This is why it is so important that we think about the massive influence of corporations.

Thinking, questioning and reflecting should be an important role in our development as active democratic citizens and should be applied to any important aspect of our society. This is a part of our democratic inheritance and we honor best those that die for our freedoms by continuing to defend them as informed citizens.

One quick note: Danielle pointed out that perhaps the metaphor of a "few bad apples" is correct and that we are demonizing the whole lot for those few corrupt ones... although Scott helps us contextualize this a bit more by letting us know that 10% corrupt corporations come to around 150,000... for me, what is telling in the discussion of the documentary (and in my research into this) is that the worst offenders and the repeat offenders are often the largest and wealthiest and most influential corporations--those with the broadest scope of influence and those capable of the most damage. We are not talking about small corporations--these are massive multinational organizations with operations around the world.

Think about the countless people harmed or ruined or killed in just one of these crimes (they are illegal according to our laws--are they not?)--who is to blame, does anyone ever claim responsibility, what are we to do in these situations, how does the corporation act as a shield for corruption and malfeasance and violence (in the sense of intentionally harming others)? Look into the Bhopal disaster in India; or Shell Oil's operations in Nigeria; or the Enron and WorldCom scandals in the US; or the increasing involvement of corporations in the running/privatization of war(s), corporations such as Halliburton that are directly connected to people in the highest positions of power in our country.

When these corporations commit unethical or illegal acts who do we prosecute--how do we get them to stop--what regulations should be enacted and enforced?

Once again why do we rarely hear these questions spoken in our mainstream media? Who owns the mainstream media?