Joel Bakan

A heavily researched profile of the modern corporation theorizes that businesses are essentially pathological in nature and place profits above accountability, citing the flaws of such practices as deregulation and privatization while outlining a program of democratic control and social responsibility. Reprint. 20,000 first printing.

The Pathological Pursuit of Profit and Power

The Corporation

Isabelle Chen

A haunting delve into the omnipotence of corporations and how they came to be the dominant institution within our society, far so more than our governments and religious organisations. The book has stood the test of time and remains applicable, if not even more so in the current climate. Would love to read a revisit and analysis in the wake of a myriad of corporate scandals that have occurred since, whether that be the GFC or the likes of Theranos.

It really hammers home a corporations existence to drive profits and brings into question the pursuit of initiatives of corporate social responsibility or the perpetuation of a family-like environment at corporations as a subtle tactic in the ultimate pursuit of self-interest and thus, profit. Reading the book definitely exacerbated a sense of cynicism and powerlessness I felt, especially when it honed into the tangible impact on people's livelihoods. The book drives home a fear I feel for the future generations and as a future parent, where dissemination of the corporate's aims start at such early ages.

The Corporation The Pathological Pursuit of Profit and Power

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