A cancer in our midst

I recently saw a brilliant documentary called "The Corporation", which discussed the growing power and pervasiveness of the business corporation throughout the world. It was very, very scary.

We seem to be moving from democracy to neo-feudalism. (Watch also the Australian movie "The Bank"). Corporations are only answerable to their shareholders, and IF the directors have some sort of social conscience, to their local communities.

I was awake last night thinking about this, and I think I've coined a word that sums up this growing and dangerous phenomenon -- corporanoma, that is, a cancer of corporations on the body politic.

Since corporations are legal people, they can do a great deal of good or damage to whomever they serve (term used advisedly), or wherever they are. Remember Bhopal, for example? Exxon Valdez?

We run the risk of losing our democracy and our power as peoples when the corporanoma metastisizes throughout the globe. At the moment, I'm not sure if there is a cure.

Let us hope there is.

The concept of a corporation is fine -- but couple this with overweening greed and hubris and what is concocted is a recipe for disaster, both politically and environmentally.

'nuff for now.

PB White