Project description
Companies acting as governments: What would happen?
Imagine a shadowy economic and political system controlled by corporations. That is a corporatocracy, in which corporate interests instead of citizens determine what governments do. Business corporations today exercise political power – both internally (towards employees) and externally (towards state, consumers and other actors). So what about this political role? The EU-funded CORPORATOCRACY will answer this question. It will also address the philosophical question of whether such corporate political power, if it exists, can be legitimised. It will focus on three conditions for legitimate ruling: respect of rule of law and human rights, democratic mechanisms of decision-making and requirements of social justice. Can these be applied to corporations? Special focus will be placed on transnational corporations. The findings of this 5-year project will help clarify corporations’ role in solving urgent social challenges.