Dear SOG,

It is a concern. American-based multinational
corporations have an impressive record of
interference in the affairs of the host countries,
with activities ranging from bribery of local
officials to attempts to overthrow foreign
governments. The multinationals do offer many
useful resources to the less developed countries.
They encourage economic growth by importing the
necessary capital and technology, and they create
new industries and markets all over the world.
But their motives are purely selfish - to exploit
cheap labour and resources on an international scale for
the benefit of a handful of stockholders in wealthy
countries.

Their activities have had a significant impact within
the US, too, for the multinationals export not only
capital, but also jobs. If an item can be manufactured
more cheaply in Asia than Detroit, the multinationals may
close down their American plant, open one in Asia, and
import the finished item back to the US.

They're also ablt to shift assets and operations around the
world - recording losses in high-tax nations and profits
in low-tax nations, or evading safety regulations or
labour laws in one country by moving to another that
lacks them. The multinationals are joining nation-states
as the major actors on the international stage, for they
inevitably develop worldwide interests and the "foreign
policies" that go with them.

These huge organisations have developed much more quickly
than have the means of applying social control over them.
Dedicated to the pursuit of profit and subject to the
authority of no one nation, run by a tiny elite of managers
and directors who have a largely fictional responsibility
to their far-flung shareholders, they represent a very
disturbing and growing concentration of global power and
influence.

Dear SOG,

Some time ago I saw the film, "Margin Call," starring
Kevin Spacey and Jeremy Irons. It deals with Wall St
malfeasance. Clearly a cautionary tale but a "crackling
good thriller" as one critic described it.
Go get it out on DVD. I think you'd enjoy it.

Dear SOG,

The following link may also be of some interest:

http://www.themonthly.com.au/rising-influence-vested-interests-australia-001-cent-wayne-swan-4670

Thanks Lexi, a pertinent link.