BBB4M Debate Assignment by Nicholas Gulley
Even though multinational corporations (MNCs) have their benefits, it is undeniable that the cons outweigh the pros.
To begin, MNCs often use their money and power to influence government officials. This is especially relevant in the United States, where corporate money has corrupted politics past the point of no return. Through campaign funding, lobbying, and targeting regulatory agencies, corporations have shaped legislation to fit their agenda. Unfortunately, this agenda is often not in the best interest of the average person. The deplorable Republican regime, alongside certain corporate Democrats, have become infamous for selling American citizens out in an attempt to please their corporate overlords. Just recently, Republicans in the Senate sold out every internet user by allowing private information to be sold to the highest bidder. It's unfortunate that this party still does well when they are fundamentally anti-human on nearly every issue. The entire party is an uneducated joke that has become less funny over time, and it's all because corporations took this political power over with the corrupting force of money, bending politicians to their will. Today, the Republican party promotes an atmosphere of fear, oppression, and ignorance as they push their corporate agenda. This has led to stupidity on an unprecedented scale, as proven facts become mere "theories." Such an impact could have dire consequences if the Republican party continues on their path of turning the most powerful nation in the world into an ignorant theocracy.
There's also the fact that companies will do whatever is necessary to make a profit. They care about nothing more than the almighty dollar. Often, a multinational corporation will generate revenue even if it is at the expense of the consumer.
Additionally, MNCs often gain a market dominance that makes it difficult for smaller businesses to succeed. This creates a situation in which small business, often called the backbone of the economy, cannot thrive
MNCs have also been criticised for using "slave labour." Oftentimes, those who work for MNCs overseas are mistreated. Working conditions are abysmal, pay is incredibly low, and the workers are often forced into labour as children. While not every MNC takes part in this horrifying practice, it is an issue that has plagues large businesses for years. It would not be tolerated if employees were treated this way in Canada or the United States. I believe that there must be an international standard ensuring that so-called "slave-labour" and child-labour finally becomes a thing of the past. Companies that oppress workers in this way should not be allowed to operate.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, multinational corporations are, in a large part, responsible for the destruction of the environment. For one, manufacturing facilities are notorious polluters. That is to say that MNCs are literal threats to the air we breathe. Additionally, waste from MNC manufacturing facilities often finds its way to various waterbodies. This threatens aquatic life, our sources of drinking water, and the copious amounts of oxygen produced by plants and animals beneath the ocean's surface. Then there's the constant deforestation by MNCs to create room for new facilities and sources of material. This destroys habitats and slowly kills the planet. Global warming can also be attributed to MNCs in part, as the carbon emissions created by factories contribute to the buildup of carbon in the atmosphere, which will inevitably lead to the end of life as we know it if nothing is done. Oh, and the MNCs constantly play to ignorant politicians and citizens to turn key world issues into "fake news." This allows for them to go on with business as usual, and ensures that the environmental predicament we've got into will not get any better.
In the end, not every MNC is evil or inherently bad. There are actually a lot of good things that MNCs do, like create jobs, lower prices of certain items, and advance technology. However, the price of allowing MNCs to operate as they currently do is not worth the consequences. Multinational corporations are dangerous in a political, economic, environmental, and moral sense. MNCs definitely do more harm than good.
References
How corporations influence the government. (n.d.). Retrieved May 09, 2017, from
http://www.confrontcorporatepower.org/how-corporations-influence-the-government/
Multinational Corporations: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. (n.d.). Retrieved May 9, 2017, from
http://www.osstf.on.ca/adx/aspx/adxgetmedia.aspx?docid=8136
Queally, J. (2017, March 23). The 50 GOP Senators Who Just Sacrificed Your Broadband Privacy to
Corporate Profits. Retrieved May 09, 2017, from
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2017/03/23/here-are-50-gop-senators-who-just-
sacrificed-your-broadbandprivacy-corporate-profits
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