Rethinking Resistance to Corporate Rule

For most of the 20th century, American citizens have become accustomed to challenging corporate harms and corporate abuses of authority one harm at a time - one clearcut Timber Harvest Plan at a time, one toxic spill at a time, one plant closure at a time. It wasn't always like this. From the American Revolution through the end of the 19th century, a corporation was an artificial, subordinate entity with no inherent rights of its own, and incorporation was a privilege bestowed by the sovereign people. For example, in 1834 the Pennsylvania Legislature declared:

"A corporation in law is just what the incorporation act makes it. It is the creature of the law and may be molded to any shape or for any purpose that the Legislature may deem most conducive to the common good."

Here are a few examples of how different the rules were in the US until the late 1800's:

• Corporations had to have a specific purpose written into their charter (license to do business); if they didn't fulfill it, or exceeded their authority, their charter could be revoked.
  
• Corporations were prohibited from owning other corporations.
  
• Corporate charters were granted for a specific period of time, usually 10-30 years, and ceased to exist after that time unless they were renewed.
  
• State legislatures set the rates which corporations could charge for their products or services.
  
• Corporation were prohibited from donating to political candidates or charitable organizations.
  
• All corporate records and documents were open to the public (or the legislature or Attorney General, depending on the state)
  
• Corporation could not own land beyond what was necessary for the carrying out of their chartered duties.
  
• Boards of directors and stockholders were held personally liable for all harms and debts. The ‘limited liability corporation’, as we know it today, did not exist.

Sadly, as we enter the 21st century, few Americans have any idea that such a history even existed in this country. Yet this is starting to change. Beginning in the early 1990's some Americans have started to rethink how we go about challenging the harms that corporations get away with day in and day out in every city and town in America. We began to rediscover what an appropriate relationship looks like in a democracy between we the people and the fictitious subordinate creation we call the "corporation." And we began to learn how to reframe our analysis of "the problem."

Of course clearcut logging and sweatshop labor and genetically engineered “food” are big problems. Solutions to these problems exist, but are not implemented because "We the People" do not control our own government. So the much bigger problem is that we have allowed fictitious corporate “persons” to usurp our authority as citizens to make these and other critical societal decisions which affect all of us and the natural world.

If we no longer pleaded with corporate leaders to cause a little less harm, what would we do? If we no longer celebrated as victories every brief delay in the corporate devastation of our world, what would we celebrate?

Since the mid-1990’s, new groups have been sprouting up across the US and Canada, and asking themselves these questions. Each group is beginning to experiment with a different attitude toward corporations and democracy – these groups are attempting to act as sovereign citizens that define corporations and define what is acceptable and unacceptable corporate behavior. Each of these groups is seeking to educate others to grow a movement to make US democracy real!

These groups have been educating and organizing themselves and others – no longer simply challenging individual corporate harms, but going after corporate privilege and illegitimate corporate authority. There is tremendous diversity in our goals and strategies – just what one would expect in a fledgling new social movement.

It is still a small number of groups, but the number is beginning to grow rapidly, and there's no question that this growth represents a profound shift taking place in the consciousness of people in this country and around the world.

Our world is in terrible crisis. We need to focus on those strategies have the best chance of success, rather than those which simply postpone the destruction. Consider these examples as a guide for you and your community. Contact the organizers. Learn from their mistakes. Replicate the projects that make sense to you. There is no time to lose.

*If you have information about an action or organizing effort that should be listed here, please send us information about it so that we can make our resources as complete as possible.

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