Corporate Influence on Democracy

[HeyItsZeus]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InJF7Uzpx...ture=feedu

Is it detrimental to democracy if corporation (and other wealthy groups) are able to influence our government?

I think it is. This video says it all, in my opinion.

[Anomalocaris]

Since corporation is the primary organizational and operational mechanism for wealth creation at both individual and societal level, and the society places heavy direct and indirect emphasis on wealth creation in evaluating the performance of its government, it is inconceivable that government should be insusceptible to corporate influence.

It seems to me that supposed ills many seem to see in collusion between corporation and government can be traced to the fact that the short term interests of equity holders to whom anglo-saxon style corporate governance more or less owes its sole faduciary duty is served by means which are perceived to be at variance with the short term interests of those who stake in corporate system is not in the form of stocks or bonds. It seems to me that the solution to the supposed ills of corporate infleunce in civil government is better addressed not by making civil government antagonistic to corporate interest, but to alter corporate governance rules to incorporate a broader spectrum of stake holders than just the equity investors.

[HeyItsZeus]

Lobbying, from what I have seen, means the importance is no longer on the benefit of the people. Money from outside causes, in short, gets in the way of a pure and working democracy by. It creates corruption.

[downbeatplumb]

It should have an influence, but shouldnt run the show.

[Anomalocaris]

Lobbying, from what I have seen, means the importance is no longer on the benefit of the people. Money from outside causes, in short, gets in the way of a pure and working democracy by. It creates corruption.

A pure democracy exists somewhere between superstition, anarchy and stagnation and would in anycase degenerate into a dictatorship of the demogague. A dose of democracy is best seen as an antidote to certain types of dictatorship, not as a pure ideal to be sought after in itself.

[corndog36]

Is it detrimental to democracy if corporation (and other wealthy groups) are able to influence our government?

Is when the voters are easily duped. Then all you need to get elected is a lot of money, and all you need to worry about once you get elected is pleasing your financial bakers.

[Anomalocaris]

Is it detrimental to democracy if corporation (and other wealthy groups) are able to influence our government?

Is when the voters are easily duped. Then all you need to get elected is a lot of money, and all you need to worry about once you get elected is pleasing your financial bakers.

Voters are always easily duped. The degree to which they are duped depends less on their own resistance than on the ruthlessness of the dupers and on the convergence of interest between different dupers.

[Ubermensch]

Constitutional republics are where it's at.

[Violet]

Money influencing government? Nevah! ^_^

Money influences every government (democracy, monarchy, whatever). And I hope it always does influence government. Please... no more religious wars or wars of retaliation and revenge... Money influencing government is a good thing.

Oh, and representative governments are so overrated (and democracy is the most disgusting government ever). No way to get something done quite like arguing about every nuance of it until we forget what it is we are trying to get done

[Ashendant]

That's why in the EU the good lobbylists made a list of bad lobbylists