Bfgrn
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In his book Tyranny of the Bottom Line, Ralph Estes examined the extent of this cost externalization in the case of U.S. corporations. Factoring in workplace injuries, medical care required by the failure of unsafe products, health costs from pollution, and many others, Estes found that external costs to U.S. taxpayers totaled $3.5 trillion in 1995-four times higher than the profits of U.S. corporations that year ($822 billion). This sort of externalization toll is routinely evident in hazy skies, injured consumers, and impoverished workers in the United States and elsewhere.
According to a 2004 report released by U.S. Representative George Miller, one 200-employee Wal-Mart store may cost federal taxpayers $420,000 per year because of the need for federal aid (such as housing assistance, tax credits, and health insurance assistance) for Wal-Mart's low-wage employees. Moreover, many corporations fill their labor needs offshore in order to exploit unorganized workers in low-cost and politically friendly countries. Over 40 million people now work in export-processing or "free trade" zones. These areas, often exempt from national legislation, allow manufacturers to demand long hours, pay lower wages, and ignore health and safety regulations.
Corporations have achieved considerable freedom to act in ways that harm the host on which they depend. They have done so primarily by means of regulatory capture, the redesign of societal laws by vested interests for their preferential benefit. This is not new; corporations have always sought to influence lawmakers. TNCs' current levels of power, money, and freedom are unprecedented, however, and regulatory capture has become widespread. The results can be seen in the scores of laws and court rulings that now protect corporations' right to profit, right to pollute, right to patent intellectual property-at the expense of citizens, farmers, workers, consumers, communities, and indigenous peoples. As U.S. President Rutherford B. Hayes once remarked, "This is a government of the people, by the people, and for the people no longer. It is a government of corporations, by corporations, and for corporations." That was in 1884; it's truer now than ever.
When Good Corporations Go Bad | Worldwatch Institute
In the 1950's taxes on U.S. corporations provided 31 percent of the federal government's general revenues. Their share is now down to just 15 percent.
In 1957, corporations provided 45 percent of local property tax revenues in the United states. By 1987, their share had dropped to about 16 percent. Since corporations rely on public services and infrastructure, expect the full protection of their assets by the U.S. military, and depend on workers educated at public expense they rightly bear a fair share of the tax burden required to pay for these and other public services. When they are excepted from paying their fair share of taxes, the cost of the services they enjoy is shifted to other taxpayers.
The Responsibility of Business to the Whole
According to a 2004 report released by U.S. Representative George Miller, one 200-employee Wal-Mart store may cost federal taxpayers $420,000 per year because of the need for federal aid (such as housing assistance, tax credits, and health insurance assistance) for Wal-Mart's low-wage employees. Moreover, many corporations fill their labor needs offshore in order to exploit unorganized workers in low-cost and politically friendly countries. Over 40 million people now work in export-processing or "free trade" zones. These areas, often exempt from national legislation, allow manufacturers to demand long hours, pay lower wages, and ignore health and safety regulations.
Corporations have achieved considerable freedom to act in ways that harm the host on which they depend. They have done so primarily by means of regulatory capture, the redesign of societal laws by vested interests for their preferential benefit. This is not new; corporations have always sought to influence lawmakers. TNCs' current levels of power, money, and freedom are unprecedented, however, and regulatory capture has become widespread. The results can be seen in the scores of laws and court rulings that now protect corporations' right to profit, right to pollute, right to patent intellectual property-at the expense of citizens, farmers, workers, consumers, communities, and indigenous peoples. As U.S. President Rutherford B. Hayes once remarked, "This is a government of the people, by the people, and for the people no longer. It is a government of corporations, by corporations, and for corporations." That was in 1884; it's truer now than ever.
When Good Corporations Go Bad | Worldwatch Institute
In the 1950's taxes on U.S. corporations provided 31 percent of the federal government's general revenues. Their share is now down to just 15 percent.
In 1957, corporations provided 45 percent of local property tax revenues in the United states. By 1987, their share had dropped to about 16 percent. Since corporations rely on public services and infrastructure, expect the full protection of their assets by the U.S. military, and depend on workers educated at public expense they rightly bear a fair share of the tax burden required to pay for these and other public services. When they are excepted from paying their fair share of taxes, the cost of the services they enjoy is shifted to other taxpayers.
The Responsibility of Business to the Whole
