For the past few decades there has been a trend towards consolidation and maximizing profitability, even at the expense of ethics and Democracy.
Today’s mega-corporations are very efficient machines for generating profits. Throughout our nation’s history, they have fueled economic growth. Unfortunately the entire concept of eternal economic growth is fundamentally flawed.
Over the past several decades the Corporations have squeezed people out of the economic system in the chase for an increasing share of a shrinking pie. Workers were abandoned for cheaper labor abroad. American industries were ignored for cheap foreign manufacturing.
Taxes have been cut to increase what they can keep and reinvest, requiring accelerating growth to pay government commitments. An growing labor market kept people in poverty. Government services have been cut at the expense of the people left behind.
The jobs that remain pay very well, especially those who can remove expenses (people) through automation or strategy. Stock options and 401K retirement plans are quite lucrative.
Will you make it through the next round of layoffs?
As our government became more friendly to business over time, decisions making increasingly came under control of people who believed in increasing personal wealth over the economic prosperity of the nation as a whole.
Character drives decision making. The more money (power) that comes under the control of greedy and self-interested people, the more investment will be focused on increasing personal wealth.
Corporatism is a key aspect of Fascism.
The corporate state is to Mussolini what the New Deal is to Roosevelt.
- Fortune Magazine (1934)
While the Federal government has certainly been intentionally fueling growth in the Corporate world, I would say that this was generally corporate driven through lobbying and other “acceptable” means.
While Businesses often do not listen to his orders, Trump has repeatedly attempts to control their actions. As though he was “in charge” of the economy.
Trump’s administration has ticked quite a few of the check-boxes for Fascism, in addition to the preexisting Corporatism.
Why Fascists Never Think They’re Fascists
The Psychology of Neo Fascism eand.co
As we sit here today, there are privately run corporations running immigrant detection centers, with insufficient resources, insufficient staffing, which have been *refusing* flu shots for detainees. The impact of an outbreak could be devastating.
If this is not Fascism, it is close enough to be similarly dangerous.
