Date post: | 26-Dec-2015 |
Category: |
Documents |
Upload: | della-thornton |
View: | 212 times |
Download: | 0 times |
Hertz: Chapter 5Hertz: Chapter 5
Politics for SalePolitics for Sale
Price of PoliticsPrice of Politics
Party politics has increasingly become one Party politics has increasingly become one dimensional – all parties support dimensional – all parties support capitalismcapitalism
This makes it difficult for parties to This makes it difficult for parties to differentiate themselves to votersdifferentiate themselves to voters
The results is that the politics of The results is that the politics of campaigning has shifted from substantive campaigning has shifted from substantive discussion of issues to media glitz discussion of issues to media glitz
Corporate DonationsCorporate Donations
High cost of campaigning means High cost of campaigning means candidates must turn to business for cashcandidates must turn to business for cash
Of course, corporations are not in the habit Of course, corporations are not in the habit of giving something for nothing, so they of giving something for nothing, so they expect favorable treatment from those expect favorable treatment from those they bankrollthey bankroll
Hertz says this is wrongHertz says this is wrong
Mueller?Mueller?
The Result?The Result?
As politics increasingly becomes As politics increasingly becomes corporatecorporate politics, people are:politics, people are:
Withdrawing from politicsWithdrawing from politics
Withdrawing from partiesWithdrawing from parties
Increasingly distrusting of politicsIncreasingly distrusting of politics
Hertz: Chapter 6Hertz: Chapter 6
Shop, Don’t VoteShop, Don’t Vote
Supermarket ActivismSupermarket Activism
As governments cozy up to companies, As governments cozy up to companies, citizens are taking actioncitizens are taking action
Citizens are using their power as Citizens are using their power as consumers consumers – Genetically modified foods – MonsantoGenetically modified foods – Monsanto– Shell Oil – Brent Spar oil storage structureShell Oil – Brent Spar oil storage structure
StopEsso Stop BushIf Bush was acting on global warming, he wouldn’t need to invade Iraq for cheap oil. Esso, more than any other oil company is sabotaging international action on global warming. One million people in the UK don’t buy Esso.
Burger Boycott Halted (9/2001)People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
(PETA) is calling a halt to its Burger King boycott, which reached over 800 restaurants across the U.S. and prompted the burger mogul to enforce
stricter standards for the handling of its food animals.
Restaurant in West Bank settlement angers Muslims and Arabs
Washington, DC (August 4, 1999)- On Thursday, August 5, a coalition of
organizations will announce a worldwide campaign to boycott Burger King
restaurants. American Muslims for Jerusalem (AMJ) called for the boycott
after Burger King ignored Muslims concerns over the opening of a
restaurant in Palestinian territory occupied by Israel.
Sept. 11, 2000 (AP) The Reverend Al Sharpton wants a boycott of Burger King if the world's number two fast-food chain does not discuss its attempt to revoke a black owner's franchises.
Something New to Discover (2/2001)The International Rivers Network (IRN) is calling for consumers to snap their Discover credit cards in two
and send the pieces back to the parent company, Morgan Stanley Dean Witter. The purpose: to protest the company's financial involvement in
China's Three Gorges Dam.
New ConsumerismNew Consumerism
Citizen pressure is demanding that Citizen pressure is demanding that corporations be judged by more than corporations be judged by more than economic criteriaeconomic criteria
Citizens are holding corporations Citizens are holding corporations accountable in way politicians won’t accountable in way politicians won’t anymoreanymore
How Widespread is Consumerism?How Widespread is Consumerism?
New consumerism enlists the support of New consumerism enlists the support of millions in the industrialized worldmillions in the industrialized world
Buying decisions are increasingly Buying decisions are increasingly influenced by the responsibility of the influenced by the responsibility of the corporationcorporation
Why the Rise in ConsumerismWhy the Rise in Consumerism
Fall of USSRFall of USSR
Rise of global corporationRise of global corporation
Governments fail to actGovernments fail to act
Communication technology Communication technology
Investment ConsumerismInvestment Consumerism
1 in 8 dollars invested in ethical funds1 in 8 dollars invested in ethical funds
Companies are RespondingCompanies are Responding
Consumer and shareholder revolts have Consumer and shareholder revolts have caused:caused:– Companies to change policies, manufacturing Companies to change policies, manufacturing
locations, labor practices, etc.locations, labor practices, etc.– Politicians to tacitly endorse revoltsPoliticians to tacitly endorse revolts
Hertz: Chapter 7Hertz: Chapter 7
All That GlittersAll That Glitters
Consumers’ and Shareholders’ Consumers’ and Shareholders’ Access to InformationAccess to Information
In order to boycott and make ethical In order to boycott and make ethical investment decisions, consumers and investment decisions, consumers and shareholders must have full and accurate shareholders must have full and accurate information about companiesinformation about companies
Such information is often difficult to find Such information is often difficult to find because the media depends on because the media depends on corporations for advertising dollarscorporations for advertising dollars
And, as media outlets consolidate, the And, as media outlets consolidate, the problem gets more seriousproblem gets more serious
Neutral Media Sources?Neutral Media Sources?
Even supposedly neutral information Even supposedly neutral information sources can be biasedsources can be biased
Academic research units depend more Academic research units depend more and more on corporate dollarsand more on corporate dollars
Same with independent “think tanks”Same with independent “think tanks”
Even government regulatory agencies are Even government regulatory agencies are sometimes corruptedsometimes corrupted
E-informationE-information
The Web provides an unbridled source of The Web provides an unbridled source of information on corporationsinformation on corporations
Web sites policing corporate activities Web sites policing corporate activities have exploded, and they are available, of have exploded, and they are available, of course, to anyone with access to the Webcourse, to anyone with access to the Web
Email has made it much easier and faster Email has made it much easier and faster to spread the wordto spread the word
Downside to E-informationDownside to E-information
Just like corporations sugarcoat negative Just like corporations sugarcoat negative stories about business, web sites often stories about business, web sites often exaggerate risks of corporate behaviorexaggerate risks of corporate behavior
Hertz: Chapter 8Hertz: Chapter 8
Evangelical EntrepreneursEvangelical Entrepreneurs
Hope?Hope?
In this chapter Hertz offers an unexpected In this chapter Hertz offers an unexpected defense of mega-capitalismdefense of mega-capitalism
It seems, she thinks, that many of the very It seems, she thinks, that many of the very wealthy, such as Ted Turner, Ben Cohen, wealthy, such as Ted Turner, Ben Cohen, etc., are turning out to be very altruisticetc., are turning out to be very altruistic
The super rich are using their dollars to The super rich are using their dollars to promote charities, sometimes of their own promote charities, sometimes of their own creation creation
Business PhilanthropyBusiness Philanthropy
Tycoons seem to be increasingly using Tycoons seem to be increasingly using their fortunes to promote social causes, their fortunes to promote social causes, from welfare to economic reforms to from welfare to economic reforms to environmental protectionenvironmental protection
These rich individuals also often act as These rich individuals also often act as unofficial spokespersons with foreign unofficial spokespersons with foreign government leadersgovernment leaders
Change of position? Change of position?
As the business of government is As the business of government is increasingly business, is the business of increasingly business, is the business of business increasingly government?business increasingly government?