[p2p-research] Caught In A Machine That Grinds Us Up

[Matt Boggs]

I describe here a destructive, unsustainable system that creates company-
and society-breaking machines. These exist because of the economic and
social incentives that our government has set up and we allow to stay in
place. Breaking unions, stealing pensions, outsourcing jobs and squeezing
customers all depend on government not enforcing laws and regulations -
especially labor, consumer and environmental rules. (The last
administration's Labor Dept actually gave advice on how to break unions.) As
long as we let the economic incentives call us "costs" and getting rid of us
"efficiency" this will continue.

Certainly there is no incentive at the top to stop this. This system helps a
wealthy few get ever wealthier and do not feel the consequences. The people
who do this are celebrated as "successful." And if they don't like the
resulting devastation to the economy, community, country and world they can
just hop into their private jet or yacht to retire to their private island
or tax haven.

Of course, in the last year we have seen that this was not a sustainable
system. The economy collapsed because everyone in the system - the workers,
consumers, companies, banks, Wall Street - all hit the limits of how much
debt you could pile on our backs. But we haven't started to make any changes
in the design of the system, or in the machines that unsustainably grind up
our companies, workers, customers and country. And we haven't changed the
ideology and rationalizations used to justify destroying lives and companies
and our long-term prospects for short-term profits for a few.

But imagine if instead we put in place economic and social incentives that
set up a sustainable system with company-making machines that direct all of
this capital and energy toward building good companies that serve all of our
interests. Call them "green machines." What if we set things up so people
could get rich doing this instead? Then people would create green machines
that would grind through the economy, finding companies and transforming
them into businesses that serve their customers and communities, creating
rewarding and fulfilling jobs in stimulating and enjoyable work
environments, and building a better future for all of us.
[Matt Boggs] 

Source link:
http://www.seeingtheforest.com/archives/2009/10/companies_as_bu_1.htm