4 ms·
> Apple is saying "we operate at the same level as nation states; we are a nation-state level entity operating in the "digital world" Apple's profits are bigg
by Swizec 4y ago
> Apple is saying "we operate at the same level as nation states; we are a nation-state level entity operating in the "digital world"
Apple's profits are bigger than my country's (Slovenia) whole GDP. You bet your butt they're a state level actor in the digital world. They have more resources than many countries.
If Apple was a country, their $365bn in revenue would make them the 43rd richest country in the world right after Hong Kong.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(nominal) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(nomi...
- amelius 4y agoAnd if you computed the per-capita GDP?
- Swizec 4y agoHard to compute because contractors don't count towards Apple's official headcount. Comes out to $2.5mil/employee using wikipedia numbers. GDP per capita for Slovenia is $25,179 in comparison. 100x less. For Hong kong, which makes a bit more GDP than Apple does revenue, the per capita number is $46,323. 50x less than Apple.
- whateveracct 4y agoAlso silly to compare because a proper nation-state does more than develop products and services for profit. Social contract and all that.
- Swizec 4y agoMy understanding is that the "social contract" inside many of these large companies is quite cushy. Especially in USA where being employed comes with services traditionally provided by the state like health care, child care, free or subsidized food, retirement benefits, etc.
- whateveracct 4y agoIt's not especially comparable to what an actual government has to deal with though. It's superficially similar I guess.
- hsbauauvhabzb 4y agoIt also doesn’t compare to obligations of countries that fund retirement, welfare, public health, or similar
- nradov 4y agoThis also points out how the increasing costs of technology and economies of scale mean that small countries like Slovenia are no longer viable on their own. The only way they will be able to survive the next few decades and avoid turning into failed states is to surrender most of their sovereignty to larger regional alliances.