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?