What would the world be like if its ruling elite was insane? The most powerful class of institution on earth, the corporation, is by any reasonable measure hopelessly and unavoidably demented. The corporation lies, steals and kills without remorse and without hesitation when it serves the interests of its shareholders to do so. It obeys the law only when the costs of crime exceed the profits. Corporate social responsibility is impossible except insofar as it is insincere. At once a diagnosis and a course of treatment, "The Corporation" is essential reading for those who want to understand the nature of the modern business system. It is a sober and careful attempt to describe the world as it is, rather than as corporate public relations departments would have us believe it to be. It reveals a world more exotic and more terrifying than any of us could have imagined. And although a billion dollar industry is trying to convince you otherwise, the corporations that surround us are not our friends. Charming and plausible though they are, they can only ever see us as resources to be used. This is the real world, not science fiction, and it really is us or them.
The Corporation
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Joel Bakan is Professor of Law at the University of British Columbia and an internationally renowned legal authority. The Corporation is a slim handbook telling you everything you need to know about corporate power in six short, easily accessible chapters, accompanying one of the most powerful and engaging documentaries of the year. He starts by describing how the corporation rose from humble beginnings to become the world’s most dominant institution—an institution that determines what we eat, watch, wear, where we work and what we do. To understand how the corporation acquired such monumental power one need only look at how, over time, this institution managed to shake off its legal constraints, and with it, any compelling need to behave as a moral entity. The law has granted the corporation the status of a ‘person’ and as such, Bakan argues, it should be recognized for what it truly is: a psychopath. In fact the central message of the book is to soberly reveal the fact that the corporation has a legally defined mandate to relentlessly pursue—without exception—its own self-interest regardless of the often harmful consequences it might cause to others. Lying, stealing, killing are not rare aberrations but the duty of the corporation when it serves the interests of its shareholders to do so.
Bakan also makes a key distinction between the (often decent) people who work for corporations and the unique structure of imperatives that direct the actions of every person within it. He explains the nature and discusses the implications of its pathological character and follows this up with a discussion of its increasing power over society. The book draws much of its authority from original interviews with players from the corporate world, pundits who analyse it and critics who highlight its dangers and propose solutions. The final chapter considers what should and can be done to mitigate its potential to cause harm. Bakan argues that however much power the corporation has acquired—and despite the apparent powerlessness of governments to control the beast—it still remains our own creation that depends upon the law for its continued existence. The law has made it what it is and the law can and must be used to control it. It would be a mistake therefore, he argues, to assume that the power of popular protest alone can help us and an even bigger mistake to believe that corporations can become socially aware moral entities that put the good of the environment, the community, the people before the generation of profit. Above all, we must realize that the corporation and its underlying ideology are animated by a narrow and destructive conception of human nature that contradicts our hard won values of democracy, social justice, equality and compassion. Bakan’s book is clearly written, easily accessible and irresistible in its general analysis. A must read, not merely for those interested in the business world, but—since the pathological values of the corporation are determining the kind of world we have today—for everyone. --Larry Brown --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
"...this sharp expose of corporate life should certainly provoke some debate." -- Bookseller (The)
'Bakan's analysis is strong on pinpointing problems with current business.' -- Harvard Business Review
'Fahrenheit 9/11 for people who think.' -- Independent
'No matter how cuddly and cute big business pretends to be ... Wake up and smell The Corporation.' -- Stephen Applebaum, Sunday Herald
'The Corporation will force you to reflect on what really matters, both in one's life and in one's company.' -- The Globe and Mail
'Bakan's analysis is strong on pinpointing problems with current business.' -- Harvard Business Review
'Fahrenheit 9/11 for people who think.' -- Independent
'No matter how cuddly and cute big business pretends to be ... Wake up and smell The Corporation.' -- Stephen Applebaum, Sunday Herald
'The Corporation will force you to reflect on what really matters, both in one's life and in one's company.' -- The Globe and Mail
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
19 of 19 people found the following review helpful
By M. Ward
Format:Paperback
Right from the start this book provides an insightful analysis of the Corporate world around us. Not limiting itself to an in depth look at the world inside the boardroom, it provides an interesting and easily accessible account of why many of the things that are happening around us, happen.
It is essential reading for anyone who has an interest in business.
It is recommended reading for anyone who is curious about modern life and the society in which we live.
It is essential reading for anyone who has an interest in business.
It is recommended reading for anyone who is curious about modern life and the society in which we live.
I read this on holiday so don't be fooled into thinking it is a business text book - it is too well written and interesting for that!
Just buy it, read it and enjoy it.
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
I don't think I had ever really thought about what a corporation actually was until I read this book. It is not one of those wild, let's go back to the stone age kind of books, turning its back on the modern world and capitalism per se, but it does regard the corproation as 'pathological', driven by self-interest and regardless of any other concerns (environmental, moral, social) apart from the need to maximise profit to shareholders. As such, it sees the corporation as a human creation, enabled by human laws, and therfore capable of being reconstructed along better, more human/humane lines. The tone throughout is sane, urbane and moderate (as you would probably expect from a professor of law at the Univesity of British Columbia), but the message it delivers is damning and sharp. Like other readers, I could not put it down and read it pretty well non-stop.
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
By Keith Appleyard
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Paperback
The subtitle "The Pathological Pursuit of Profit and Power" says it all.
What would the world be like if its rulers were insane? The message being offered here is that as far as their Legal structure is concerned, the modern Corporation only has responsibility to its Shareholders, but yet the Shareholders wield no effective power over them – so the Corporation is out of control.
We can see how the modern CEO can be a different form of robber baron.
This is not an anti-globalisation polemic (I read those as well), but a calm & lucid description of what is wrong, and what we can do about it.
The most important truth of all : Corporations have no lives, no powers and no capacities beyond what we, through our Governments, give them. So let's get them back under control.
What would the world be like if its rulers were insane? The message being offered here is that as far as their Legal structure is concerned, the modern Corporation only has responsibility to its Shareholders, but yet the Shareholders wield no effective power over them – so the Corporation is out of control.
We can see how the modern CEO can be a different form of robber baron.
This is not an anti-globalisation polemic (I read those as well), but a calm & lucid description of what is wrong, and what we can do about it.
The most important truth of all : Corporations have no lives, no powers and no capacities beyond what we, through our Governments, give them. So let's get them back under control.
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4.3 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Scathing. An important book.
This is less of a review of the book than of the accompanying documentary (I started reading the book but gave up once the DVD arrived, rendering it a bit superfluous). Read more
Published on 4 Mar 2011 by David Atkinson
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very interesting
This book give a good insight of corporations and their actions/power. It is a must for anyone interested in sustainable development.
Published on 29 Oct 2010 by C. M. A. Rannou
5.0 out of 5 stars
Corporation as Psychopath
This book and the film documentary, sound a valid warning, an accessible introduction to the problematic nature of large corporations who seemingly have symptoms of psychopathy,... Read more
Published on 15 Jun 2010 by Peter Buckley
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent
Very good book and in my opinion much better than the documentary.
Also, easily read with simple language.
Also, easily read with simple language.
Published on 28 Feb 2010 by Yiannakis
1.0 out of 5 stars
Myopic, misguided, unhelpful and ultimately misleading
I'm afraid this book is seriously flawed. The author conveys the idea that all the evil in this world is caused directly or is the ultimate responsibility of (large) corporations. Read more
Published on 1 Sep 2009 by Norberto Amaral
3.0 out of 5 stars
Shallow and slightly repetitive
I wonder if this content works better in documentary format(not sure which came first?)- because as a book it doesn't really get into the nitty gritty. Read more
Published on 21 Jan 2009 by Misty
1.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting but badly flawed
This is a well written work but very shallow in scope and analysis. Joel Bakan does identify part of a real problem but offers the unoriginal and tired solution that more... Read more
Published on 17 Dec 2008 by P. Brooks
4.0 out of 5 stars
Corporation defined
More and more people are voicing their opinion that the reason for the worlds' problems are corporations, but few are able to ellaborate why. Read more
Published on 11 Aug 2008 by Mr. M. Hassan
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very thorough and informative
Capitalism is the now unchallenged organising power of human life, able to reach into any area of the world, and as this book shows, any area of life too - well, the attempt is... Read more
Published on 6 Jan 2006 by "matthew_wilson04"
4.0 out of 5 stars
Worth the read despite shortcomings
A very intellectual and well thought through argument against the power of corporations as they are. "Fahrenheit 9/11 for people who think - The Independent": good quote. Read more
Published on 6 Jan 2006 by G. Thulbourn
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