That's a wild accusation. Unless you happen to know me, but I don't think you do.
"Lobbying to reduce taxes" was a part of an example. The big problem is their "lobbying for greater freedom".
Yes, governments should be held in check. Systems strengthened to keep governments afraid of the people (not companies) they govern. So that they can keep those that are stronger than me and use that strength to harm me, amongst wich are companies, in check. We have most of this in place. It can (and should be) improved. But we have very little in place to keep companies in check. Antitrust cannot (or is not) used against monopolies, (so the common free-market mechanisms of peoples free movement between suppliers aren't working anymore). Laws that protect humans against companies abolished or not modernized. Information (on which agents in the free-market must operate) is less and less trustworthy, mostly a result of companies spreading that (mis)information.
And TBC, companies have harmed people, are doing so as we speak, whole cities, whole countries. They have actively destabilized governments. Not just "somewhere in Africa", but in the US, in Europe. That's an undeniable fact. Many companies will then spend a lot of effort (and money and influence) to be not held accountable (that is harder to prove, obviously). Many companies will wield influence to be allowed to wield firepower, in all it's forms and shapes.
I am from a country with one of the worst examples of such a company in human history, the V.O.C. Who had such power that it had private armies, was accountable to no-one, grew so large that no "official government" could force it to do anything, for over a century. It literally enslaved people, killed inefficient workers, over-exploit and deplete entire ecosystems, etc etc. We should actively and strongly work against such companies from ever coming back (if they ever really left)
That's a wild accusation. Unless you happen to know me, but I don't think you do.
"Lobbying to reduce taxes" was a part of an example. The big problem is their "lobbying for greater freedom".
Yes, governments should be held in check. Systems strengthened to keep governments afraid of the people (not companies) they govern. So that they can keep those that are stronger than me and use that strength to harm me, amongst wich are companies, in check. We have most of this in place. It can (and should be) improved. But we have very little in place to keep companies in check. Antitrust cannot (or is not) used against monopolies, (so the common free-market mechanisms of peoples free movement between suppliers aren't working anymore). Laws that protect humans against companies abolished or not modernized. Information (on which agents in the free-market must operate) is less and less trustworthy, mostly a result of companies spreading that (mis)information.
And TBC, companies have harmed people, are doing so as we speak, whole cities, whole countries. They have actively destabilized governments. Not just "somewhere in Africa", but in the US, in Europe. That's an undeniable fact. Many companies will then spend a lot of effort (and money and influence) to be not held accountable (that is harder to prove, obviously). Many companies will wield influence to be allowed to wield firepower, in all it's forms and shapes.
I am from a country with one of the worst examples of such a company in human history, the V.O.C. Who had such power that it had private armies, was accountable to no-one, grew so large that no "official government" could force it to do anything, for over a century. It literally enslaved people, killed inefficient workers, over-exploit and deplete entire ecosystems, etc etc. We should actively and strongly work against such companies from ever coming back (if they ever really left)
Read more history.