Quote:
Originally posted by slackerboy:
if our government was run like a corporation , with the citizans as the shareholders, i believe that we would be much better off. imagine a government who's goal was to do things in a profitable way. so that instead of just spending with out end. they would have money to give us back.
just a thought.
|
Maybe, but how about where companies put the shareholder's interests far above their customers or staff? (the saying should now be, 'the shareholder is always right') I have worked for - and consequently left - companies that shit all over the customer in order to make more profit for the shareholders, in turn encouraging more investment.
I was actually in situations where I would have to be lying blind to frantic or irate customers due to company policy (highly monitored call centre). You know stuff like double charging intentionally and only refunding if it is queried - downright illegal but commonplace. Also 'guaranteeing' services and quality we knew would not happen.
While all this is happening, the guys (note
GUYS)at the top are getting paid multimillion dollar sums plus massive share options. You average 'mums and dads' get what?
Slightly higher returns than a bank...
In terms of accountability i think that modern capitalist democracies ARE run like shareholder corporations.
eg: if the shareholders don't like the directors - they vote them out. the directors must perform economically in order to maintain shareholder confidence.
and so on - the returns for the 'citizens as shareholders' is realised in health, education, roads, transport, etc... The better a country is run, the better these services will be (ideally)
I don't think any government want to lose money and most western ones at least try to make it somewhere.
but i know what you are saying, it seems that politicians are, almost without exception, working on their own agenda which seems to have very little to do with what 'the people' actually desire.
------------------
Gonna run through the jungle!