Should some level of patriotism be expected from big business ?

Question

Or are the corperate elites free from trying to help the nation state ?

Does the board of large and medium companies have only one sole responsibility and that is to return profits no matter the cost to the people of the nation - their jobs the nations health and so on are secondary compared to the profit margin of the investors ?

If it makes money to put 100,000 Americans out of work and give those jobs to Mexicans - then is that ok because no patriotic rehtoric should ever interfere with profits - Even if it does end up crashing a whole class of people (the middle class the blue collar etc)or a nation ?

Should all that is expected be they don't sell weapons or national secrets - other than that all is fair in love war and business and if that ruins America then thats ok because profits were made and that is what is important ?

Answer 1

Ugh... Why would "Corporate elites" have to help the "nation state"? Arent the absurd amount of taxes they pay enough? The answer to your question is a resounding "no".  All we should expect from big business is to try and turn a profit.  If you don't like their hiring practices, buy elsewhere.  If you don't like how they treat their employees, work elsewhere.  They don't owe you, me, or anyone else a thing, unless we are talking about a mutually consentual exchange of goods/services for money.  Get over your sense of entitlement.

Answer 2

Come off it - money, and as much of it as possble, is any company's sole raison d'etre.

If a business adopts a patriotic stance, you can be sure it is because it is more profitable to do so than to do otherwise.

Present day governments are the same - they will ensure business - business of any nationality, so long as it is in their fiscal bailiwick - makes as much money as possible, without any regard at all for the wellbeing of the people.

This is what neoliberalism is all about, and it's time we - the people - consigned it to the dustbin of history.

Answer 3

The mistake that I see many conservatives making in their answers to this question, is not that a corporation exists only to create profit,their answer is absolutely correct .Corporations are basically machines who's ONLY function is profit.The mistake conservatives make is believing that government has no right to regulate how that machine functions.Supply side economics take this one step further in that laws are written to make profitability even easier to achieve, sometimes at the expense of American citizens.It is now almost thirty years since our country was infected with Reaganomics , and we have reached a level of corporatism in our government that should scare any thinking person.True fascism is only a step away.

I as a liberal do not expect any level of patriotism from corporations, after all corporations are just soulless machines engineered only to profit shareholders.As a liberal I DO expect my government (Which is supposed to have a soul. After all the founders described it as of the people,by the people and for the people) to regulate and govern corporations with an eye to profits because honest and just profits benefit the people.But because our government has a soul ,the needs of corporations are NEVER put ahead of the needs of the people.

Hopefully it is not too late to return to the honest beliefs that we had before 1981.

Answer 4

YES!  But unfortunately most big businesses feel absolutely no patriotism towards the country that made their enterprise possible.  Corporatations are free from helping our nation in every way except those taxes they can't weasle out of.  Or the jobs they are required to hold for our servicemen & women while fighting for that same corporations.

Answer 5

You've answered your own question.  Whether it's controlled by shareholders or by individuals, each type of corporate business is in it for PROFIT.  Americans are so easy to bad mouth socialism, so what does it take to convince everyone that big business doesn't give a rat's butt about you, your children, your parents, your grandparents, etc.  Pure socialism is no h**l either, but there has to be some kind of balance between capitalism and socialism.  The business elite of America have really snookered you guys.

I REALLY support the comments made by jpenergy.  Excellent post.

Answer 6

Just another reason why corporations should've never been given "personhood" status from our government.

What we are experincing on a small scale here is what we've done throughout the world for 50+ years (if not more).....Due to trade restrictions it was more profitable for companies/corps to manufacture here and dump elsewhere in the world.....Now its much more profitable to manufacture elsewhere and dump here.

You know whats sad?  What Ford and Bush during WW2 before our government made it illegal to do so wouldn't even be frowned upon today....in fact, it would be benchmarked and copied throughout other industries.  Greed is killing our nation.

Answer 7

Is that a biased viewpoint or what? Most of what you say is B.S., but I will say this: Everyone has the right to buy stocks in profitable companies. If they make money, you could be making money right along with them. Most people have no self control though. They would rather go buy the next bigger car or big screen than invest their money wisely. You didn't bring that up though, did you?

Answer 8

Thanks to Globalization, patriotism is an archaic notion to large multinational corporations, like the ones who OWN the US government.

Answer 9

You should take a business ethics course.  It will open your eyes, and answer most of your questions.

Bottom line ; NO, patriotism is an individual emotion, not a corporate entity.

Answer 10

Once you get money and power its easy to forget your morals and standards, especially with big business. So, they're not thinking about the poor Americans when they send jobs to another country to save a few bucks.

I can't agree with you on the Mexico issue. I thought Mexico would be a state by now. Or at least a commonwealth like Puerto Rico.

Answer 11

Merchants have no country. The mere spot they stand on does not constitute so strong an attachment as that from which they draw their gains.

Thomas Jefferson

I hope we shall crush in its birth the aristocracy of our monied corporations which dare already to challenge our government to a trial by strength, and bid defiance to the laws of our country.

Thomas Jefferson

If the American People ever allow the banks to control the issuance of their currency, first by inflation and then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around them will deprive the people of all property until their children wake up homeless on the continent their fathers occupied. The issuing power of money should be taken from the bankers and restored to Congress and the people to whom it belongs. I sincerely believe the banking institutions having the issuing power of money are more dangerous to liberty than standing armies.

We are completely saddled and bridled, and the bank is so firmly mounted on us that we must go where they ill guide.

The dominion which the banking institutions have obtained over the minds of our citizens...must be broken, or it will break us. Thomas Jefferson

(Letter to James Monroe, January 1, 1815

Answer 12

Yes, but unfortunately most are not inclined to act patriotic, Most are just greedy.

Answer 13

Corporate responsibility, what a concept and touchy subject. Unless we hold someone in corporations personally responsible they will always avoid the law. It has to be more than a fine because by for instance undocumented workers. The money that they save makes any fine miniscule. Besides they just pass it on to the consumer. Hiring illegals should carry a prison term of at least five years. It is in fact an act of treason.

Answer 14

No, because it's a contradiction in terms, their patriotism is exclusively towards the international consortia which keep them rich.

Answer 15

Businesses only exist because of shareholders.  Those shareholders control the direction of the company because the company wants to stay operating, so they have to keep them happy. Most companies will try to look good in the community because it's good for business, but I'm sure shareholder approval is involved.  Smaller and self-run businesses are going to have more freedom to do what the want.

Expecting businesses to focus on making decisions in the best interest of the country is like being in a traffic jam with 10 cars in front of you and expecting the car directly in front of you to move.  I'm sure they would move if they could but it's not really a decision in their hands.

Answer 16

Corporate America is selling it self off to foreign countries, one by one.  Eventually,  there will be no American owned companies.  Foreign corporations have no concern for the welfare of the American people.  They only care about the bottom line.

Answer 17

the purpose of a business is to MAKE MONEY.  otherwise it would be a CHARITY.  your version of patriotism is called SOCIALISM.

Answer 18

Multinational Companies are guided by the corporate goal of profits and they have no national affinity.As regards medium sized national operating companies,they are guided by cost considerations and profitability.It is the govt of the country to make laws and regulate the working of companies.Some of the countries have laws such as minimum 50 percent employment of locals,export of products only  to select countries etc.Do not expect corporate entities will go in for self regulation.

Answer 19

No, that's why they call themselves "multinationals."  The only thing they care about is cutting costs and maximizing profits.

Answer 20

The whole idea that businesses that hire immigrants are putting Americans out of work is absurd.  Since the government started its latest War on Immigrants, there is now nobody willing to work to pick food off of the farms, so food is rotting.

All unemployment is voluntary, as anybody can go out and get a job at McDonald's.  However, alot of people are unemployed because they don't consider the terms of unemployment of any open job to be acceptable.

Banning outsourcing would merely lead to higher prices, as employers would pass the higher costs of hiring Americans for unskilled jobs on to their customers.  Obviously, there are some laws that subsidize outsourcing which should be repealed, but protectionism would only harm Americans and protect inefficient companies against superior competition.

Do we really want to have the exact same level of technology in 50 years as we do today?  Is stagnation of growth really a benefit to anybody?  In the early years of the Industrial Revolution, the pre-Industrial interests made the exact same complaints as are common today (as we are in the early stages of an Information Revolution).

Answer 21

Like this you mean,

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080716/ap_o...

IF Congress don't care, why should you..

spread the wealth, don't be greedy, can you do it...... don't blame the mexicant - they can do anything - look around you - shine, rain or snow - no excuses - it gets done.. at a profitable margin to your 401k and for investors - look at wall street