Published in 2004, the corporation, by legal scholar joel bakan, demonstrates that corporations often misbehave because it is in their nature to do so. The pathological pursuit of profit and power comes this deeply. How they do now and how do they used to treat with their employees. The pathological pursuit of profit and power, joel bakan asks, if corporations are legally humans, what kind of human are they. The pathological pursuit of profit and power, by joel bakan, is based on the ideology that capitalism is currently dominated by corporations that are only looking out for their own best interests and that this system cannot hold up.
An eminent law professor and legal theorist, bakan contends that the corporation is created. Over the last 150 years the corporation has risen from relative obscurity to become the worlds dominant economic institution. It outlines the importance of profit in business and how ruthless corporations are willing to be in order to bring in substantial revenue. The service provides compressed knowledge by providing summaries of books and articles. The corporate legal mandate, to pursue profit on behalf of shareholders, impels corporations to take any action, including callous, antisocial, and even unlawful behaviors, so long as they generate a profit. The pathological pursuit of profit and power by joel bakan lisa kemmerer calls corporations to account under the guidance of joel bakan. Joel bakan interest, regardless of the often harmful consequences it might cause to others. Discover book depositorys huge selection of joel bakan books online. I thought i would give it a try by reading a 5 page condensation of the corporation by joel bakan. The pathological pursuit of profit and power bakan, joel on. This 39page guide for the corporation by joel bakan includes detailed chapter summaries and analysis covering 6 chapters, as well as several more indepth sections of expertwritten literary analysis.
The new corporation by joel bakan penguin random house. The corporation by joel bakan summary what you will learn. Usa today the corporation, according to joel bakan, is the monster that can swallow civilization greedy, exploitive, and unstoppable. Joel bakans book is a brilliantly argued account of the corporations pathological pursuit of profit and power. More this paper has been submitted by user griffin hurst who studied at rutgers, the state university of new jersey, usa, with average gpa 3. Noam chomsky the corporation is farenheit 911 for people who think. Noam chomsky and the media, teams up with codirector jennifer abbott and writer joel bakan to examine the farreaching repercussions of. Eminent canadian law professor and legal theorist joel bakan contends the modern business corporation is created by law to function like a psychopathic personality. Joel bakan author of the corporation depicts all about the corporation, corporation strategies, models. Discover other books like this, author exclusives, and more. The corporation is farenheit 911 for people who think. Born in lansing, michigan, joel bakan moved in 1970 with his parents to vancouver, british columbia, canada, where he graduated from eric hamber secondary high school.
The corporation joel bakan presents arguments 872 words. More this paper has been submitted by user dulce macdonald who studied at the university of wisconsinmadison, usa, with average gpa 3. The corporation by joel bakan the pathological pursuit of power and profit this is another eyeopening book, where the author contends that the structure of companies forces them to be psychopaths by definition. Corporations are createdand mandatedto make money, regardless of results that affect the world, its own industry, its labor force, or even its managers, writes canadian law professor joel bakan. The corporation is a book ed by joel bakan, a filmmaker, and a law at the of british columbia, the book was published in february 2004. He is the cocreator and writer of a documentary film and television miniseries called the corporation, which is based on the book. He went on to earn a ba at simon fraser university 1981, and then, as a rhodes scholar, a ba in law from oxford university in 1983.
That raises a number of questions, which i address in subsequent chapters. The independentthis fine book was virtually begging to be written. Joel bakan is an internationally recognized and awardwinning scholar and teacher who has worked on landmark legal cases and government policies. The corporation the pathological pursuit of profit and power. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides for challenging works of literature. Robert monks this fine book was virtually begging to be written. This is another eyeopening book, where the author contends that the structure.
Eminent canadian law professor and legal theorist joel bakan contends the modern business corporation is created by law to function like a psychopathic. The corporation has become a vehicle by which good men and women cause harm to society because of the way the corporation is created and protected by the law. All content in this area was uploaded by joel bakan on jan 14, 2016. The book joel bakans book is a brilliantly argued account of the corporations pathological pursuit of profit and power. The book was written during the making of the corporation cocreated with mark achbar and formed the basis of the research and writing for the film. As a result, i argue, the corporation is a pathological institution, a dangerous possessor of the great power it wields over people and societies. His bestselling book the corporation was made into an awardwinning documentary. An eminent law professor and legal theorist, bakan contends that the corporation is created by law to function much like a psychopathic personality whose destructive behavior, if left unchecked, leads to scandal and ruin. The pathological pursuit of profit and power edited by jennifer abbott commissioning editor, tvo rudy.
We all pay a price for the corporations flawed character, he argues, with devastating consequences that include the deadly cloud of lethal chemicals that killed. And bakan doesnt mean this in any kneejerk liberal way. We are all its potential victims, which is why we must all understand how the corporate form makes it so difficult to control its abuses. Portrait of a corporate psychopath business the guardian. The corporation, according to joel bakan, is the monster that can swallow civilization greedy, exploitive, and unstoppable. An internationally renowned legal authority, bakan has written widely on law and its social and economic impact. The pathological pursuit of profit and power, during the filming of the documentary. Chapter six in the corporation by joel bakan essay book. Critically analyze joel bakans argument in the book the. An eminent law professor and legal theorist, bakan contends that the. Eminent canadian law professor and legal theorist joel bakan contends that todays. Bakan does such a good job of creating awareness that the corporation cant help but be a call to action. The corporation is a 2003 canadian documentary film written by joel bakan, and directed by mark achbar and jennifer abbott. Bakan authored the corporation, a book analyzing the evolution and modernday behavior of corporations from a critical perspective.
He is a former rhodes scholar and a former law clerk to the chief justice of the canadian supreme court. The corporation a film by mark achbar jennifer abbott joel bakan end credits directed by mark achbar and jennifer abbott produced by mark achbar and bart simpson written by joel bakan based on the book by joel bakan the corporation. As incisive as eric schlossers bestselling fast food nation, as rigorous as joseph e. Stiglitzs globalization and its discontents, and as scathing as michael moores stupid white men, joel bakans new book is a brilliantly argued account of the corporations pathological pursuit of profit and power. Joel bakan is an author, filmmaker and a professor of law at the university of british columbia. However, it is a person with no moral conscience and an exclusive focus on the benefits of shareholders. In this complex, exhaustive and highly entertaining documentary, mark achbar, codirector of the influential and inventive manufacturing consent. In the corporation, author joel bakan paints the worlds largest and most powerful companies as greedy psychopaths whose relentless drive for profits is destroying lives, damaging communities, and endangering the planet as a whole. With lucidity and verve, joel bakan unveils the history and the character of a devilish instrument that has been created and is nurtured by powerful modern states. Eminent canadian law professor and legal theorist joel bakan contends that todays corporation is a pathological institution, a dangerous possessor of the great power it wields over people and societies. The documentary is critical of the modernday corporation, considering. The book tends to be a little drier and feels rushed at times as if bakan is trying.
Much more depth than the movie documentary based on the book. The documentary examines the modernday corporation. The corporation is unlikely to be the first to defy history. The next chapter of the book presents the corporation as a. Legal scholar joel bakan is a professor of law at the university of british columbia. The corporation is a 2003 canadian documentary film written by university of british columbia law professor joel bakan, and directed by mark achbar and jennifer abbott. It outlines the importance of profit in business and how ruthless corporations are willing to. The pathological pursuit of profit and power, joel. In this shocking and indelible behindthescenes journey, joel bakan, acclaimed author and awardwinning maker of the renowned film and international bestselling book the corporation, uncovers the astonishing degree to which companies exploit the special vulnerabilities of children, manipulate parents fears, and operate with callous. Joel conrad bakan born 1959 is an americancanadian writer, jazz musician, filmmaker, and. Bakan explains that the nature of the corporation changed when the us supreme court ruled that a corporation should have the same rights as individuals, thus making it a legal person.
The corporation book by joel bakan official publisher. Published in 2004, it was made into a film the corporation the same year and won 25 international awards. A few of us at autodesk are piloting a service called getabstract. His work examines the social, economic, and political dimensions of law, and he has published in leading legal and social science journals as well as in the popular press. What i really liked about it was that he offered practical solutions watched the documentary years ago during college, but. The book overall depicts the behavior and the evil spirit of big corporative giants. Pdf the corporation the pathological pursuit of profit. We have, over the last three hundred years constructed a remarkably efficient wealthcreating machine, but it is now out of control. Over the last 150 years the corporation has risen from relative obscurity to become. His book childhood under siege was published in august 2011. In his provocative book the corporation and movie of the same title, professor joel bakan argues that corporation would be a psychopath.
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