The Corporate States of America

[2952-0-0]

So basically, the country goes like this:

All fifty states are carved up and given to corporations to run. For example Exxon runs Texas, GM runs Michigan, Microsoft runs Washington, and so on. There are no more rights to free speech and assembly and what not, since the Constitution has been totally amended to say that "Corporations have the right to prosper at all cost".

This means that although people have more opportunities to work (the unemployment rate in all states being zero), corporations also have the right to evict anything that impedes economic development and kill any person who is a net liability to the company, since the corporations are the only empolyer and producer in their respective states and other enterprise is banned.

Any takers?

[Emsworth]

This is clearly a mere strawman.

[Alcon]

Well, no, obviously not.

But Microsoft alone could not employ everyone in Washington State, nor Exxon  Texas, and certainly whomever would run California would be in deep crap.

This is pretty much socialism, except on the state level, and with no diversification of industry.

[KEmperor]

Well this is just stupid.  A corporation is not a government.  If you make a corporation a government, then it ceases to be one.

What you are basically describing is a socialist system where the government owns all industry.

[2952-0-0]

True, I am describing a strawman world in which corporations and government merge to the extreme. Though those who believe in this constitute an iota of the general population it would be scary if that iota took power.

[KEmperor]

True, I am describing a strawman world in which corporations and government merge to the extreme. Though those who believe in this constitute an iota of the general population it would be scary if that iota took power.

Yes, Communist states are very scary.

[Emsworth]

True, I am describing a strawman world in which corporations and government merge to the extreme. Though those who believe in this constitute an iota of the general population it would be scary if that iota took power.

Yes, Communist states are very scary.

KEmperor makes a good point. In one scenario, the corporations control the government; in another, the government controls all the corporations. What is the difference? None. In both cases, the corporation and the government is a single entity.

[AkSaber]

85% of Alaska's revenue comes from the oil industry. Does that count?

[Alcon]

85% of Alaska's revenue comes from the oil industry. Does that count?

It does when it comes to political favours.  Alaskan politics must be virtually owned by the oil industry.

[Jake]

I despise your reverse communism, so no. This topic verges on the same level of stupidity as your "delete the GM thread" topic.

[Max Power]

Well this is just stupid.  A corporation is not a government.  If you make a corporation a government, then it ceases to be one.

No, you get facism. Giving the government to businesses is facism, giving businesses to the government is socialism/communism.

[KEmperor]

Well this is just stupid.  A corporation is not a government.  If you make a corporation a government, then it ceases to be one.

No, you get facism. Giving the government to businesses is facism, giving businesses to the government is socialism/communism.

Um, no.  I don't think Mercedes Benz was responsible for formulating the final solution.

[John Dibble]

This reminds me of a video game called State of Emergency - basically the government is one big corporation and they run things pretty ruthlessly. No thanks, as said it's basically communism.

[2952-0-0]

I despise your reverse communism, so no. This topic verges on the same level of stupidity as your "delete the GM thread" topic.

Hey, Philip makes even scarier scenarios and no one cares.

[Jake]

I give Philip his fair due when he acts retarded also.

[??????????]

I give Philip his fair due when he acts retarded also.

Be careful or he may call you a joke poster. I think he ate some bad egg rolls on his little trip.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Well this is just stupid.  A corporation is not a government.  If you make a corporation a government, then it ceases to be one.

No, you get facism. Giving the government to businesses is facism, giving businesses to the government is socialism/communism.

Um, no.  I don't think Mercedes Benz was responsible for formulating the final solution.

"Facism should more accurately be called corporatism, as it is a merger of corporate and state power." - Benito Mussolini

[KEmperor]

Well this is just stupid.  A corporation is not a government.  If you make a corporation a government, then it ceases to be one.

No, you get facism. Giving the government to businesses is facism, giving businesses to the government is socialism/communism.

Um, no.  I don't think Mercedes Benz was responsible for formulating the final solution.

"Facism should more accurately be called corporatism, as it is a merger of corporate and state power." - Benito Mussolini

Yes, Hitler and Mussolini were actually the puppets of corporate interests.  Come on, even you know that isn't true.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Ever seen the movie "The Corporation"?

Ever heard of the Business Plot?

It's true that Hitler wasn't out to conquer the world in name of business interests, but one can not deny that facism is pro-business and pro-corporate. Mussolini based his fascist ideology off a leftist ideology popular in the first half of the 20th century called Syndicalism, which beleived that labor union federations should control all business and the government. However he altered in that corporations would be the controllers, not the labor unions.

[Max Power]

Well this is just stupid.  A corporation is not a government.  If you make a corporation a government, then it ceases to be one.

No, you get facism. Giving the government to businesses is facism, giving businesses to the government is socialism/communism.

Um, no.  I don't think Mercedes Benz was responsible for formulating the final solution.

"Facism should more accurately be called corporatism, as it is a merger of corporate and state power." - Benito Mussolini

Exactly. I was just about to post that, too.

[KEmperor]

Well this is just stupid.  A corporation is not a government.  If you make a corporation a government, then it ceases to be one.

No, you get facism. Giving the government to businesses is facism, giving businesses to the government is socialism/communism.

Um, no.  I don't think Mercedes Benz was responsible for formulating the final solution.

"Facism should more accurately be called corporatism, as it is a merger of corporate and state power." - Benito Mussolini

Exactly. I was just about to post that, too.

Sigh.  Rhetoric aside, the fact of the matter is that corporations in no way controlled the government in either Italy or Germany.  It was the other way around.

[AkSaber]

85% of Alaska's revenue comes from the oil industry. Does that count?

It does when it comes to political favours.  Alaskan politics must be virtually owned by the oil industry.

Hmm. Alaska politicians usually support the oil industry, through stuff like letting them drill or search for oil on unprotected land. But I wouldn't say they own us.

[Max Power]

Well this is just stupid.  A corporation is not a government.  If you make a corporation a government, then it ceases to be one.

No, you get facism. Giving the government to businesses is facism, giving businesses to the government is socialism/communism.

Um, no.  I don't think Mercedes Benz was responsible for formulating the final solution.

"Facism should more accurately be called corporatism, as it is a merger of corporate and state power." - Benito Mussolini

Exactly. I was just about to post that, too.

Sigh.  Rhetoric aside, the fact of the matter is that corporations in no way controlled the government in either Italy or Germany.  It was the other way around.

I know. I was just saying because a facist says that facism is the corporations are the government, I went with that.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

1. Fascism was not a corporate conspiracy
2. Fascism was not socialist, capitalist, conservative or [insert hated ideology here]
3. The State did NOT run everything in a fascist system; in theory at least The Party (and ultimately the Fueher, Duce or whatever) did.
4. Some businessmen did do extremely well of of fascism and did finance fascist political parties. This is not evidence of a conspiracy in any way at all

[John Dibble]

It's true that Hitler wasn't out to conquer the world in name of business interests, but one can not deny that facism is pro-business and pro-corporate. Mussolini based his fascist ideology off a leftist ideology popular in the first half of the 20th century called Syndicalism, which beleived that labor union federations should control all business and the government. However he altered in that corporations would be the controllers, not the labor unions.

Facism was about whatever was good for the nation, really - if a corporation benefitted the nation and the leader, then the state or leader would help it, if it was of detriment the state would probably destroy it. It had nothing to do with corporatism and more to do with grabbing power. Unlike communism it didn't really have a defining ideology to hide behind - it was just about whatever way was practical and convenient to ensure the leaders stayed in power.