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Mark Louie G. Gorantes

Prof. J.A. Paquia

The Contemporary World

30 April 2023

The Corporation

Interesting documentary film "The Corporation" by Joel Bakan, directed

by Mark Achbar and Jennifer Abbott examines the nature and influence of corporations in

today's society. The movie makes the case that businesses are essentially destructive creatures

that put profit before people and the environment, and that they have risen to an unsustainable

level of power and influence in our political and economic institutions.

The first part of this film looks at the legal development of companies,

tracing their roots to the 19th century, when they were first recognized as legal entities with

the same rights as subjects. Due to the status they enjoyed under law, corporations were able

to operate with little oversight or accountability and develop enormous amounts of wealth
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and power. The movie makes the case that because of this legal system, businesses have

evolved into "psychopathic" entities that are only concerned with maximizing profits,

regardless of the consequences to society and the environment.

In order to study how companies affect society, Bakan and his team

conduct interviews with a variety of specialists, activists, and corporate insiders. They look at

a variety of topics, including media manipulation, political corruption, worker exploitation,

and environmental degradation. The idea that businesses are fundamentally unethical entities

lacking of any sense of social responsibility is one of the primary concepts explored in the

film. They just have a financial motivation and will do whatever it takes to further their

interests. This is demonstrated by a variety of examples, including the use of child labor in

the clothing industry, the exploitation of employees in sweatshops, and the harm that oil and

gas firms inflict to the environment.

The impact of companies on our political and economic systems is another

topic covered in the movie. It makes the case that businesses have grown to be excessively

influential and powerful, and that they have the ability to influence laws and regulations in

their favor. As a result, corporate interests are given precedence over the demands of people

and the environment in the current system. The movie presents an effective criticism of

capitalism as it exists now, contending that it has turned into a system that primarily serves a

small elite's interests at the expense of the rest of society. It makes the case that businesses

have taken a major role in forming our political and economic institutions, which has led to a

number of social and environmental issues.

Although the movie criticizes businesses and capitalism, it does offer some

hope for change. It contends that there are several instances of effective movements and

campaigns that have opposed corporate power and brought about positive change, and that
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corporations can and should be held accountable for their deeds. In general, "The

Corporation" is a strong and thought-provoking movie that poses significant issues regarding

the function of companies in contemporary society.

It makes the case that companies have grown to be far too prominent and

powerful, and that they are to blame for a number of social and environmental issues. The

argument that companies can and should be held accountable for their deeds and that there

are several examples of effective movements and campaigns that have opposed corporate

power and brought about beneficial change, however, also offers hope for change.
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Works Cited:

Bakan, J. (2006). The Corporation. The Pathological Pursuit of Profit and Power. Society and

Business Review, 1(3), 281–282. https://doi.org/10.1108/17465680610706355

TheAzureWhale. (2012, July 22). The Corporation [Video]. YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y888wVY5hzw

Valor, C. (2005). Corporate Social Responsibility and Corporate Citizenship: Towards

Corporate Accountability. Business and Society Review, 110(2), 191–212.

https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0045-3609.2005.00011.x

Crosthwaite, P., Knight, P. L., & Marsh, N. (2015). 6Economic Criticism. The Year’s Work in

Critical and Cultural Theory, 23(1), 108–133. https://doi.org/10.1093/ywcct/mbv005