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'unchecked capitalism' ...hardly. the kind of capitalism everyone thinks is ruining the US is the kind with its big profit generating balls cut off. Capitalism as it exists now is nowhere near the juggernaut of social irresponsibility in this country that it was in the late 1800' and early 1900's. Put kids in factories at age 6 and pay them a penny a week and make them work 17 hour days. pump out smog and soot from evey stack on the factory and dump every polutant and bi-product over the fence and into the water. THAT was capitalism 'unchecked'. We as a country have cut the proverbial balls off of the true notion of capitalism.
And while some things have gotten better in the way of environmental protection and child labor, and labor practice in general...it has not come without expense to the corporation. so how does the corporation dilute the the signficant costs of social responsibility? VOLUME!!!!! the more product or service sold...the cheaper the fixed costs become. how do you achieve volume? MARKETING ON A MASS SCALE!!!
at the end of the day, the CFO making capital budgeting decisions is doing what he has to do to keep the shareholders from putting him in front of a firing squad. the common belief of the corporate criminal is far too rampant and has become the default notion of executives for those who have absolutely no business education or experience at the corporate level. most of these guys and girls just want to make enough money and have enough job stability to feed their kids and themselves and afford some of lifes finer pleasures. the 2 or 3 % of executives who abuse thier power, position, and influence shed a false light on the business world.
a more intricate understanding of economics, fiscal policy, and the underpinnings of TRUE capitalism need to be grasped before anyone starts lobbying for the destruction of the cheeseburger.
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