Corporate Common Sense

Americans cannot comprehend a system of Kings and Monarchies that once existed. They cannot comprehend how the ancient Europeans could allow themselves to be ruled by a few intermingled families that called themselves royalty.

On the other hand, ancient Europeans, and especially ancient Egyptians, cannot understand how contemporary Americans could allow themselves to be ruled, to believe, to work and to do everything they can for a small useless piece paper controled and printed by a small minority of mortals, a small piece of paper that substitutes the faith to the Ancient Pharao, a small useless piece of paper that contemporary American call it "money" (derives from "matmon").

Contemporary americans believe firmly in a system of meritocracy. However once, before our American independence, the people of this land of America believed firmly in the benevolence and goodness of European monarchies.

But King George encroached, and stole American property through taxation without representation. And the fire of liberty was ignited in America when a Thomas Paine's Common Sense questioned the governing right of monarchs. Then, a group of pragmatic, practical, idealists and realists, our founding fathers, established a governing system that recognized the weakness of men when placed in power. They forged a system that protected freedom by protecting the right to property, or in other words the right a man has to the fruit of their labor.

And now we live in a new world because of their courageous break from the old world. Or do we? When wisdom settles in our minds, we realize that every generation must capture freedom anew. And every generation grapples with old problems in a new way. And a more careful view of our new world would suggest that it actually looks a lot like the old world of our forefathers. The old monarchies of the past are born again in our day under a new name. And people have dimly recognized the old face of the new monarchies having already attacked it with something akin to a French revolution who's solution was worse than a monarchy.

And so it is that we have already seen the clash of monarchically governed corporations against also corrupt unions. And we have apparently determined that the monarchical governance of corporations is better than the union solution. So now just as Americans past, we rely almost solely on the benevolence of the corporate monarchs to rule over us.

But like Americans past will we recognize that this new monarchy is built very much like the old European monarchy? Where Boards of Directors are filled with executive “Royalty” from other corporations, just as European Royalty was “filled” by marriage from other countries? Will we recognize as in the past that our property, which is the right we have to enjoy the fruits of our labors is being stolen at will, just readily as any King George ever did it?

Are we actually foolish enough to believe that within two decades corporate executives have so advanced in capability that where once they worth 40 times more than thier employees they are now worth 330 times more then a subject employee? We have been fools for too long. This is not capitalism this is monarchic corruption!

And the solution lies in the recognition of the unrealized property that a corporate laborer possesses. And change towards better performing corporations will occur when monarchical rule is replaced with a balance of power and employees also take part in the governing Board of Directors.

Like countries, corporations have demonstrated a great capacity to advance society. History has shown that countries and companies ruled by a good monarch perform very well but are very few. History has also demonstrated that where a decent balance of power exists, almost without exception countries are better off. Isn't it common sense to believe this same effect can happen in corporations?

Every American knows that something is wrong in our corporations. We both rely on these great institutions and wonder at why we can't make them better. But now will we recognize that the old desires and means used to obtain power, yes even the old monarch's have returned to roost in our time and in our corporations. Will we have the honesty, the integrity, the courage of our "quaint" and "outdated" forefathers to replace these monarchies with a better form of corporate governance? Or will we modern, and enlightened American's so enraptured by our own enlightenment continue to deny that we, once again are living in a feudal system with a new name.