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Corporations and the Threat to Democracy Major corporations in the United States, Western Europe and other parts of the world are threatening our democratic institutions in their pursuit of greater profits. In this section we would like to draw your attention to articles, books and links that will inform you of this dangerous development. See also our section on campaign finance reform and the Pledge of Allegiance. Visit the Program on Corporations, Law and Democracy: Instigating democratic conversations and actions that contest the authority of corporations to govern. The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood (formerly Stop Commercial Exploitation of Children) is a national coalition of health care professionals, educators, advocacy groups and concerned parents who counter the harmful effects of marketing to children through action, advocacy, education, research, and collaboration among organizations and individuals who care about children. The Canadian Centre for Ethics and Corporate Policy "Ethics. It's the defining issue for today's organizations. Companies, professional firms and individuals alike are being held increasingly accountable for their actions, as demand grows for higher standards of corporate social responsibility. Today we are judged not only on the financial performance of our organizations, but also on whether we are good corporate citizens. And at the heart of corporate citizenship is organizational ethics." The Center for Corporate Policy is a non-profit, non-partisan public interest organization working to curb corporate abuses and make corporations publicly accountable. The Center for Public Integrity "is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, tax-exempt organization that conducts investigative research and reporting on public policy issues in the United States and around the world." The Chemical Industry Archives (a project of Environmental Working Group) "consists of documents from the chemical industry itself, most of which were obtained through lawsuits. Other documents were obtained through Freedom of Information Act requests to the government." Citizen Works "is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt organization founded by Ralph Nader in April 2001 to advance justice by strengthening citizen participation in power. We give people the tools and opportunities to build democracy." Corporate Accountability International "is a membership organization that protects people by waging and winning campaigns that challenge irresponsible and dangerous corporate actions around the world. Corporate Accountability International and our members have scored major victories that protect people and save lives." Halliburton Watch focuses on the activities of the Halliburton Corporation of which Vice President Dick Cheney was the former CEO. Infact is a membership organization that protects people by waging and winning campaigns challenging irresponsible and dangerous corporate actions around the world. Through bold campaigns and a commitment to win, Infact and its members have scored major victories that protect people and save lives. For over 25 years, we've forced corporations--like Nestlé, General Electric and Philip Morris/Altria--to stop irresponsible and dangerous actions. The Multinational Monitor publishes reports on the activities of major international corporations. This site also has a very extensive list of links to other sites dealing with related issues. Public Citizen is a non-profit organization with an aim to protect health, safety and democracy. This is an excellent site for researching articles on these issues as well as related corporate crimes. The site also has a feature that lets visitors find out how senators and representatives in Congress voted on key issues. The Project On Government Oversight is committed to exposing waste, fraud and corruption in the following areas: defense, energy & environment, contract oversight and open government. Finding Justice with Arundhati Roy is an interview with Terrence McNally on Alternet. Arundhati Roy is one of the most outspoken and influential critics of the excesses of corporations. Defying The Suicide Economy by Charlie Cray and Lee Drutman - November 30, 2004 via TomPaine.org Smedley Butler, Meet John Perkins by Russell Mokhiber and Robert Weissman. Perkins has just written a book, Confessions of an Economic Hit Man (Barrett Koehler, 2004). Putting Corporations on the Couch by Ted Nace, Dragonfly Review. Posted June 11, 2004 - via Alternet. Social
Democracy Anyone? by J. Bradford DeLong Other articles: Corporations and Victims by Bill Bodden of Redmond, OR Related Links: Citizen Works is a Ralph Nader organization working against corporate corruption. Corporate Crime Reporter is a legal print newsletter. The articles you see posted on this web site are only highlights from the print newsletter. Corporate Crime Reporter reports on abuses and crimes committed by corporations. Program on Corporations, Law and Democracy is concerned with corporations and labor and their roles in democracy. Reclaim Democracy is working to restore citizen authority over corporations that are threatening our democracy. Berkeley,CA-based CorpWatch "counters corporate-led globalization through education, network-building and activism. We work to foster democratic control over corporations by building grassroots globalization a diverse movement for human rights and dignity, labor rights and environmental justice." A similar site in the United Kingdom - Corporate Watch - is another excellent resource and evidence of the global nature of corporatism. George Monbiot is a journalist who writes on a variety of subjects including abuses by corporations and other capitalist entities. See Recommended Reading below. Multinational Monitor has reports on activities practiced by multinational corporations. Recommended Reading: Myth America: Democracy vs. Capitalism by William H. Boyer, Professor Emeritus in philosophy at the University of Hawaii and Central Oregon resident. (Publisher: Apex Press) Howard Zinn, author of A People's History of the United States, said this book is "A breathtaking analysis of American society...and what we can do to create a just and humane world." Unequal Protection: The Rise of Corporate Dominance and the Theft of Human Rights by Thom Hartmann (Publisher: Rodale) Captive State: The Corporate Takeover of Britain by George Monbiot Russell Mokhiber is editor of the Washington, D.C.-based Corporate Crime Reporter, . Robert Weissman is editor of the Washington, D.C.-based Multinational Monitor, , and counsel for Essential Inventions, a nonprofit involved in the pricing dispute discussed in the Abbott profile. Mokhiber and Weissman are co-authors of On the Rampage: Corporate Predators and the Destruction of Democracy (Monroe, Maine: Common Courage Press).
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