We Cannot Go Back To Business As Usual
Could Benevolent Capitalism Save Our Country And Perhaps Our Planet?
When I look out at the United States, I see a culture that has been infused with corporatizing.
Corporatizing that has tricked me and many into believing that to have value in this world I have to beat the other at their game and WIN at all costs.
Monetizing someone’s worth based on how well they play the game and how often they win has created a society of impoverished souls.
It’s more evident now than at any time in our history that Capitalism the economy of our United States is failing us as human beings miserably.
You can see the growing mistrust in our health care systems, our government, our politicians, and our country grow daily as we realize that they do not have our backs.
I want CHANGE, and I am sure YOU DO TOO!
What can bring about that change? De-corporatizing America by instituting something called Benevolent Capitalism.
De-corporatizing America can be the catalyst to level the playing field for all Americans.
I believe that to live in a free society you have to unearth the systems that created the inequity in the first place.
What Is a Corporation and Why is it considered an Entity with Inalienable Rights Like a Human?
Let’s start by understanding corporations and how they are allowed to operate in our country.
“A corporation is a legal entity that is separate and distinct from its owners.
1 . Corporations enjoy most of the rights and responsibilities that individuals possess: they can enter contracts, loan and borrow money, sue and be sued, hire employees, own assets, and pay taxes.” (investopedia.com)
And DID YOU KNOW?
“THE UNITED STATES (in capitals) isn’t a country; it’s a corporation! … The corporation was created for the District of Columbia, aka Washington, D.C. (not even a state), via the Act of 1871. THE UNITED STATES corporation operates under private international law with their own corporate constitution.” (missoulian)
And most Americans that work for corporations do not have the same rights as they would under the constitution because corporations operate under their own set of rules or corporate bylaws.
Can YOU see a PROBLEM here?
Capitalism Is The Playing Field In Which Corporations Can Exist
“Capitalism is an economic system based on the private ownership of the means of production and their operation for profit. Characteristics central to capitalism include private property, capital accumulation, wage labor, voluntary exchange, a price system, and competitive markets”. Wikipedia
And Capitalism thrives in something called the free-market.
What is a free-market?
“In a free market, the laws and forces of supply and demand are free from any intervention by a government or other authority, and from all forms of economic privilege, monopolies and artificial scarcities.”( wikipedia.org)
This free-market economy that corporations operate comes under scrutiny when we look at its morality. When competition is its guiding principle it becomes easy to disregard the rights of others to turn a profit.
Our court systems are littered with cases of injustices perpetrated by corporations on humans. And often those cases are won by those corporations because they operate on a different set of rules then our constitution. And of course, this is within their legal rights to do so because that is in the purview of being a corporation.
If Capitalism Had A Baby They’d Call Her Consumerism
“Consumerism is a social and economic order that encourages an acquisition of goods and services in ever-increasing amounts.” Wikipedia
Without consumerism, corporations could not exist for very long. Its simple supply and demand. And how do corporations create demand? By creating branches of their corporation dedicated to something called marketing whose sole purpose is getting you to believe that you NEED what they are selling to be happy.
And there it is the NEED to be happy. The idea that happiness can be bought has been seducing us for ages. And it is one of the driving forces that keep corporations profitable.
Putting a price tag on our happiness creates enslavement so deep and entrenched that Corporations can’t help but win.
Enter Benevolent Capitalism: Our Knight In Shining Armour
What is Benevolent Capitalism?
First, we have to understand what Benevolent means.
be·nev·o·lent
/bəˈnevələnt/
adjective
- well-meaning and kindly. “a benevolent smile”
And to expand on this definition benevolence is to do good for all without harm according to Gary Douglas who coined the term.
Benevolent Capitalism seeks to run a company from the bottom up versus the top-down which is what the majority of corporations do.
So the people who interface with the customer are valued as much as the CEO of the company because they are the ones who have the greatest connection to the consumer.
And it is creating the corporation from the consciousness of asking “what can I create here that will create the greatest good for the greatest number?” versus the short term mindset that looks at “how can I create the greatest profit now?”
Please click here to see a quick video interview with Gary Douglas about Benevolent Capitalism. And to learn more about Gary Douglas click here.
How Are Employees Viewed In Benevolent Capitalism?
Employees are just as valuable as the top executives of the corporation and are paid a thriving wage versus a surviving wage.
When disgruntled employees are allowed to work they create poor services and products. And sure they can leave their job or be let go, but the damage is something that can create devastating effects on a corporation.
It does not create a very sustainable business to keep on employees that do not feel valued. And it does not set up a model of loyalty that has the employee wanting the company to succeed as much as the CEO and its top executives.
Benevolent Capitalism Creating A Better Future
The future looks bright and I gotta wear shades. Ok, Ok, maybe not yet.
However, the promise of doing business from benevolence is very encouraging as it paves the way to makeover the traditional profit and competition model that was based more on the degeneration of resources to get the most out of the now without little regard for the future.
We have to become a lot more forward-thinking to create a sustainable planet. By stepping away from the quick fixes and instant gratification that is so prevalent on this planet, we can set our sites on what is going to create the most for the many in a way that breathes life into people and the planet.
I know this may sound like a lofty vision. However, it is an imperative direction we must take to secure the longevity of our people and our beloved planet.
Steve and Chutisa Bowman and Gary Douglas are spearheading this movement. To learn more about them click here.
Thank You for Reading!