3 ms·

They don't take a moral stand on a lot of things. Most of the large companies in the world are deeply immoral, but we draw the line at bribing, in a culture tha

They don't take a moral stand on a lot of things. Most of the large companies in the world are deeply immoral, but we draw the line at bribing, in a culture that encourages it? I'd argue that it's a WTO problem, let's just cut of all ties to countries where bribing in any form is acceptable, leaving us with what? The Nordic countries and New Zealand? I'm not arguing that it's not an issue, but what would you have them do exactly? The bribing isn't going to disappear because Microsoft says no. Africa will just be running on Red Star OS and Tecent Cloud.

eru 4y ago
Microsoft is an American company, so the US can just forbid Microsoft from paying bribes. Just like the US is using their clout to force people around the world to eg force French companies not to do business with Iran. > I'd argue that it's a WTO problem, let's just cut of all ties to countries where bribing in any form is acceptable, leaving us with what? As a compromise, you could target countries in which bribing is de jure _legal_, and worry about de facto later.
- gambiting 4y ago
  >>US can just forbid Microsoft from paying bribes. That's already the case. It's already illegal for an American company to pay bribes abroad, even if it's "legal" there. The problem is that like many other people said - you just hire a local "consulting" business that handles that for you and your hands are clean.
  - eru 4y ago
    > The problem is that like many other people said - you just hire a local "consulting" business that handles that for you and your hands are clean. Just make that illegal, too? And make sure that ignorance is not an excuse before the law. (Something like gross negligence, if you don't check on your subcontractors well enough.)
- DangitBobby 4y ago
  I wonder how much the citizens of a country rife with low-level corruption would appreciate the US taking the high road and refusing to allow their companies to do business with them.
  - eru 4y ago
    That's what's already happening with a few countries around the world.

eru 4y ago

Microsoft is an American company, so the US can just forbid Microsoft from paying bribes. Just like the US is using their clout to force people around the world to eg force French companies not to do business with Iran. > I'd argue that it's a WTO problem, let's just cut of all ties to countries where bribing in any form is acceptable, leaving us with what? As a compromise, you could target countries in which bribing is de jure _legal_, and worry about de facto later.

gambiting 4y ago
>>US can just forbid Microsoft from paying bribes. That's already the case. It's already illegal for an American company to pay bribes abroad, even if it's "legal" there. The problem is that like many other people said - you just hire a local "consulting" business that handles that for you and your hands are clean.
- eru 4y ago
  > The problem is that like many other people said - you just hire a local "consulting" business that handles that for you and your hands are clean. Just make that illegal, too? And make sure that ignorance is not an excuse before the law. (Something like gross negligence, if you don't check on your subcontractors well enough.)
DangitBobby 4y ago
I wonder how much the citizens of a country rife with low-level corruption would appreciate the US taking the high road and refusing to allow their companies to do business with them.
- eru 4y ago
  That's what's already happening with a few countries around the world.