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If a massively successful corporation decided to start a country...

C

cbrunny

Diamond Member
This is purely hypothetical but I was thinking about this while listening to the Apple earnings reports this morning on the news. Apple made enough money in three months to completely wipe away Detroit's debt.

This got me thinking. Many people around the world worship companies that can create massive amounts of wealth. So, if a corporation - for the sake of this thought experiment, let's say it's "Kramerica Industries" and they made billions manufacturing, distributing, selling, servicing widgets - had the ability to create its own country inhabitable only by employees, would you want to work/live in Kramerica?

It would probably be inhabitable only by employees because it would not make sense from a corporate perspective to provide state-type benefits to individuals that do not contribute directly to the industry that is also the government.

Is the next iteration in the evolution of the Westphalian State system one in which corporations are government? If we continue to worship the almighty dollar, why not remove government and replace it with that which generates the almighty dollar?
 
wpid-tin-foil-hat.jpg
 
Well where would they get the land to control?

Sure they could buy land but short of taking enough over with military force it would be hard to annex it from the country that owns it.
 
What freedoms would you need to give up?

Would coming in late be a federal offense?

If you were fired, you would also be exiled from the country.

If you are born there, can the state exile you if it fires you?
 
Ancalagon44 said:
What freedoms would you need to give up?

Would coming in late be a federal offense?

If you were fired, you would also be exiled from the country.

If you are born there, can the state exile you if it fires you?
Click to expand...

Hypothetical. You tell me. What would happen?
 
Newbian said:
Well where would they get the land to control?

Sure they could buy land but short of taking enough over with military force it would be hard to annex it from the country that owns it.
Click to expand...

For the sake of this thread, let's assume the land exists somehow and it doesn't matter how, and it's theirs for a new country if they want it.
 
They can obtain land/area from an existing entity. Size may be immaterial
Setup their own government
Petition other countries for recognition.
Apply to the UN for recognition.

The Vatican is only 0.2sq miles. However, they may not really be called a country but the first 3 steps have been completed.

Monaco would be the smallest real country at 0.7sq miles
 
If I say "the company store" does that mean anything to you?

Those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it.
 
whooo 2% more to go

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lanai

As of 2012, the island was 98% owned by Larry Ellison (Founder and Chairman of Oracle),[2] with the remaining 2% owned by the state of Hawaii.

Lānaʻi is a roughly comma-shaped island with a width of 18 miles (29 km) in the longest direction. The land area is 140.5 square miles (364 km2), making it the 42nd largest island in the United States.
Click to expand...
 
cbrunny said:
This is purely hypothetical but I was thinking about this while listening to the Apple earnings reports this morning on the news. Apple made enough money in three months to completely wipe away Detroit's debt.

This got me thinking. Many people around the world worship companies that can create massive amounts of wealth. So, if a corporation - for the sake of this thought experiment, let's say it's "Kramerica Industries" and they made billions manufacturing, distributing, selling, servicing widgets - had the ability to create its own country inhabitable only by employees, would you want to work/live in Kramerica?

It would probably be inhabitable only by employees because it would not make sense from a corporate perspective to provide state-type benefits to individuals that do not contribute directly to the industry that is also the government.

Is the next iteration in the evolution of the Westphalian State system one in which corporations are government? If we continue to worship the almighty dollar, why not remove government and replace it with that which generates the almighty dollar?
Click to expand...

Kind of like the Foxconn plant/village in China?

Companies don't get that wealthy by paying their employees handsomely. Would I want to work there? Hell No!
 
Let's cut the crap; no one is opposed to some sort of big entity ruling over and deciding for us.

What certain people do have a problem with, is that said big entity allows almost anyone in - like a government.

A government is suppose to serve all the people,.. not just a few people. Most critics of big government are OK with a big entity ruling and deciding all, just as long as that big entity does things that omits/rejects the desires of certain 'undesirables'.

And, even if we did go with the corporationalist model, it is not sustainable. A corporate rule is fueled by profits and making money. They would have to eventually abandon money and go with commodity exchange and trade. Something like, work as machine operator #82, and you will get a bed, 3 meals and basic medication.

So, even if someone DID push for a privatized corporation to be a government, it would end up being a monarchy of some sorts.
 
It wouldn't be good......as companies are based on an unsustainable growth model.

And the people....that's where the real issue is, after all we all support them and "need things" that are HARDLY even wants.
 
There have certainly been a few corporations who have tried. Most famously the British East India Company and the United Fruit Company. Though organizations like these typically operate through what are essentially puppet states. They leave the actual business of governing to loyal parties while exploiting the nation's people and resources. At least until the people get fed up and armed communist revolutionaries start popping up.
 
No, it sounds like an unbelievably awful idea. The constitution or any country's analogue of is the only thing that even lets people like us talk to one freely.
 
there already are corporate owned towns and cities. In mexico baja there are a few self governed towns that are outside of the Mexican government essentially and have their own security/police.



Corporations are people brah
 
cbrunny said:
This is purely hypothetical but I was thinking about this while listening to the Apple earnings reports this morning on the news. Apple made enough money in three months to completely wipe away Detroit's debt.

This got me thinking. Many people around the world worship companies that can create massive amounts of wealth. So, if a corporation - for the sake of this thought experiment, let's say it's "Kramerica Industries" and they made billions manufacturing, distributing, selling, servicing widgets - had the ability to create its own country inhabitable only by employees, would you want to work/live in Kramerica?

It would probably be inhabitable only by employees because it would not make sense from a corporate perspective to provide state-type benefits to individuals that do not contribute directly to the industry that is also the government.

Is the next iteration in the evolution of the Westphalian State system one in which corporations are government? If we continue to worship the almighty dollar, why not remove government and replace it with that which generates the almighty dollar?
Click to expand...

They already did. It's called Dubai.
 
Vdubchaos said:
It wouldn't be good......as companies are based on an unsustainable growth model.
Click to expand...

Well, this would essentially be a shift in the model from growth (or at the very least turn a profit) to providing for the corporations citizens. E.g. The companies citizens are both its employees and its shareholders.
 
cbrunny said:
Well, this would essentially be a shift in the model from growth (or at the very least turn a profit) to providing for the corporations citizens. E.g. The companies citizens are both its employees and its shareholders.
Click to expand...

So you are talking modern day slavery? Hire > pay > make them buy stuff back from you.

Great business plan (Walmart already does that btw).

🙂
 
mmntech said:
There have certainly been a few corporations who have tried. Most famously the British East India Company and the United Fruit Company. Though organizations like these typically operate through what are essentially puppet states. They leave the actual business of governing to loyal parties while exploiting the nation's people and resources. At least until the people get fed up and armed communist revolutionaries start popping up.
Click to expand...

Much easier to rent an existing country than to own one. UN is rejecting new applicants for sovereign state. Could get in on the ground floor in Ukraine for cheap.
 
Ancalagon44 said:
What freedoms would you need to give up?

Would coming in late be a federal offense?

If you were fired, you would also be exiled from the country.

If you are born there, can the state exile you if it fires you?
Click to expand...

Hmm, this sounds scary. Would saying bad things about the company products become punishable with prison time? Would Easter be abolished because it interfered with tax season? Would employment now be required for healthcare?

Oh, and what happens if you do consulting work for another company while living in Craymerica? Is that outlawed if it's a competitor?
 
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