Subject:
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Government vs Corporations - Was: (Re: Art Debate)
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.debate
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Date:
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Thu, 13 Jan 2000 21:14:20 GMT
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Viewed:
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2357 times
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James Brown wrote:
>
> In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Scott Edward Sanburn writes:
> > James,
> >
> >
> > > Why is it that "government will take advantage of whatever power we give to
> > > them" is a valid view, when at the same time, 'corporations will take
> > > advantage of whatever power we give to them' is not?
> >
> > Can you please give me examples on how corporations can take away your
> > freedom, your liberty, your rights, etc.? The government can and does.
>
> Corporations can take away anything we allow them to take away, in the same
> way that government can take away anything we allow them to.
>
> Examples? I don't see why they're necessary since we're so far into the realm
> of theoretical, but ok. Coal mines and (some) coal mining companies in the
> pre-regulation/pre-union days. Miners were often paid in scrip instead of
> cash, being told that cash wasn't available (for whatever reason - sometimes
> it was even true). Their scrip was good at the company store, but goods at
> the company store were so expensive that they ended up needing to spend more
> than they earned, locking them into a downward cycle of debt. Miners who
> didn't have an external source of income had no actual money, and company
> scrip wasn't good anywhere else.
Yes, I know about this, and have read about it in history class. I was
talking about present day examples. I think this century has been
instrumental in cleaning up the abuses of corporations in the early
days, such as above. Compare a GM plant today with one 90 years ago,
etc.
I am talking about the real world, here. Not theoretical. Most of these
posts imply that government is somehow wonderful and great and how much
better off we would just give everything to the government and we would
have utopia. But, the evil corporations, bent on destroying the world,
have the power to destroy everything!!!! If I am wrong, please tell me.
Here is a question that has intrigued me, for this thread has revealed
that some in this discussion give corporations the same power as
government:
In terms of real life, this year being 2000, in terms of corporations,
can anyone tell me what company has even a bit of the power of the
United States Government to destroy your life? To take away your
resources? To govern what you do? The government has done this to
people, and will do it again.
Scott S.
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Message has 1 Reply:
Message is in Reply To:
 | | Re: Art Debate Was: [Re: Swearing?]
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| (...) Using a country in the middle of ethnic cleansing as a comparison is hardly flattering. You can get shot in any country, but it's more likely to happen if you live in the US than say the UK. (...) I find it easy to believe, however I would (...) (25 years ago, 11-Jan-00, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
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