His premise is that basically the corporation though useful in many circumstances, has turned into Frankenstein's monster and is too dominant in relation to the state and citizens especially in the US where their money and lobbying power means that politicians run the state on their behalf rather than the citizens. He goes back to the reason that the corporations were set up in the 19th century UKia and USia was for the public good and not to ends in themselves. And as they are legal 'persons', their presonality seems to one of psychopath; charming, ruthless, self-obsessed and inhumane.

Corporate Social Rensponsibility

He gives short shrift to the new notion of Corporate Social Responsibility where corporations are seen as forces for good. The example he gives is my old friend, Giant UKian Oil Company. Corporations embracing CSR, he argues will try and do good only until starts affecting the bottom line as ultimately they are only responsible to their shareholders. GUOC cut its greenhouse omissions by 25% for example but this actually saved it money in the longterm. Whilst it was engaged in being holier than Exxon, broke environmental laws in Alaska through cutting back its maintenence programme as the field there were coming to the end of their lives.

Conclusion

A powerfully argued polemic which is by no means anti-market but pro-regulation and pro-openess of these powerful entities.