Greed is a human sin, but not a corporate one

A reader recently suggested that I write a critique of corporations akin to that offered for unions. That is a fine idea, and I begin with a couple of points.

My observation about private sector unions was simply that their declining membership marked them for imminent irrelevancy. This is a concern that is shared, if not admitted, by the union’s own leadership. Whatever mischief private sector unions do or do not engage in, it is mostly a private affair. That makes it ripe for political, not policy, action. I write about the latter.

In contrast, public sector unions have left hundreds of American municipalities on the brink of bankruptcy. That is a policy matter, and I will continue to remark upon it.

The point is that I have little to say about private unions and public policy. It is likewise with corporations, whose ill behavior is a matter among consenting adults who either own or work for corporations. Still, it is useful to inventory some of these critiques and assess their reason.

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