Internally, businesses run whatever system they want, but it is almost always an authoritarian hierarchy. (Do what you're told or leave. Various amounts of argu

Internally, businesses run whatever system they want, but it is almost always an authoritarian hierarchy. (Do what you're told or leave. Various amounts of arguing or grumbling before you do may or may not be tolerated.) The language used in bad times is telling. You'll hear managers talking about how it sucks, but is needed to save the company ("individuals must suffer for the greater good"). Externally, businesses reflect the political preferences of those who control them, but they tend to prefer weak states they can influence or control. Democracies are harder to control this way because the stakeholders are diffuse. Centralization, strongmen and corruption make things easier.