Capitalism, American Style; Symbol Of Greed, Political Corruption

[Donnachaidh]

http://www.opednews.com/articles/Capitalism-American-Style-by-michael-payne-111028-775.html



Capitalism, as currently practiced in America, could be facing a very uncertain future, as a great disconnect is developing between U.S. corporations and the American people. Sure, corporations are still generating massive profits but, just below the surface of their success, trouble is brewing. Millions of Americans, having been severely victimized by the greedy actions of corporations, are now up in arms and mobilizing against them.

There is nothing inherently wrong with capitalism, the economic system that has functioned in America for such a long time. But with the advent of world globalism, corporations have made dramatic changes in the way that they conduct business, how they interact with their workers and how they function in this society.

Here's the big problem for corporations who think that they are in the driver's seat and can operate as they wish with no one to curb them. It just so happens that the worker/consumers of America form the foundation of our consumer-driven economy; that is, they represent the majority of the purchasing power of this nation. Corporations seem to have forgotten that workers are also consumers and when they outsource workers' jobs to foreign nations, they are eroding their customer base.

I remember reading about the relationship between a corporate giant of the past and his work force. That was Henry Ford, the founder of the famous motor company, who had a good understanding of how capitalism should work. A very wise man, Ford knew that those who he employed in his plants were not only workers but that they were consumers that could buy his cars. So in 1914 he doubled his workers' pay with the idea that better wages would lead to better production and that well paid workers could the afford to buy the cars that they produced. And they did!

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