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We the people have the ability to break up a company. The company serves the people. This is why we elect other people to represent our interests. What value

We the people have the ability to break up a company. The company serves the people. This is why we elect other people to represent our interests. What value does a virtual skinner box serve? I think at one point Facebook did have value, then it changed

oarabbus_ 7y ago
You seem to be advocating for increased government interference in the private sector, because a company doesn't "provide value". Who gets to decide which companies are "valuable" and which are "worthless" and to be broken up by government? Your line of thought is utterly terrifying to me, quite frankly.
- supercanuck 7y ago
  THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES. The people, through, free and fair elections can fix market failures
  - oarabbus_ 7y ago
    But the people of the United States don't agree that any of these tech giants should be broken up.
    - supercanuck 7y ago
      Thats why we vote.
    - pwinnski 7y ago
      That remains to be seen, perhaps as a part of the 2020 election.
- JohnFen 7y ago
  To be fair, governments are the ones that define and allow the existence of corporations. Corporations only exist because of "government interference". It used to be a hard requirement that as part of the grant of corporate status, the corporation had to operate in way that served the greater societal good -- and those that didn't had their corporate charter removed. That's not done so much anymore, and in my opinion that's a bad thing. So, this isn't increased government interference -- it's a government thing in the first place.
- codemac 7y ago
  The history of corporations were one wher we started by evaluating if the completed work of the corporation would help society. The government would have to explicitly charter them as a single individual in the eyes of the law. All other professions were treated as groups of individuals. The idea that they are some inalienable right for people to receive limited liability and tax breaks is confusing, historically inaccurate, and largely made up in the last few decades. You are more then welcome to act as an individual without incorporation, regardless of what value you provide. Receiving a charter from the government to act as a larger entity in society is exactly something we should be deciding about.

oarabbus_ 7y ago

You seem to be advocating for increased government interference in the private sector, because a company doesn't "provide value". Who gets to decide which companies are "valuable" and which are "worthless" and to be broken up by government? Your line of thought is utterly terrifying to me, quite frankly.

supercanuck 7y ago
THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES. The people, through, free and fair elections can fix market failures
- oarabbus_ 7y ago
  But the people of the United States don't agree that any of these tech giants should be broken up.
  - supercanuck 7y ago
    Thats why we vote.
  - pwinnski 7y ago
    That remains to be seen, perhaps as a part of the 2020 election.
JohnFen 7y ago
To be fair, governments are the ones that define and allow the existence of corporations. Corporations only exist because of "government interference". It used to be a hard requirement that as part of the grant of corporate status, the corporation had to operate in way that served the greater societal good -- and those that didn't had their corporate charter removed. That's not done so much anymore, and in my opinion that's a bad thing. So, this isn't increased government interference -- it's a government thing in the first place.
codemac 7y ago
The history of corporations were one wher we started by evaluating if the completed work of the corporation would help society. The government would have to explicitly charter them as a single individual in the eyes of the law. All other professions were treated as groups of individuals. The idea that they are some inalienable right for people to receive limited liability and tax breaks is confusing, historically inaccurate, and largely made up in the last few decades. You are more then welcome to act as an individual without incorporation, regardless of what value you provide. Receiving a charter from the government to act as a larger entity in society is exactly something we should be deciding about.