The Divine Right of Capital: Dethroning the Corporate Aristocracy

The founder and editor of Business Ethics and a frequent contributor to NPR, Kelly here considers how corporations strive to make money for their shareholders regardless of the costs to society. The first of the book's two parts discusses the principles of economic aristocracy, showing how the corporation exists not for the employees or the community it supposedly serves but for the investor. Examples include the maxim that paying stockholders is more important than paying employees, the belief that the corporation is a property that can be owned and sold, and the fact that only stockholders can vote to determine the company's future. This power structure has resulted in layoffs, plant closings, and other forms of social discord. In the second part, she examines a thought-provoking course of action that would improve matters a new set of paradigms and laws that would result in economic democracy, insuring that corporations exist for the public good. Jefferson, Lincoln, Roosevelt, John Locke, and Adam Smith are some of the luminaries she cites to support her points of view. This well-documented and readable book is a good choice for business school libraries.








Important: All questions, requests, etc. for ME send to my PM (Send Message link), please (not in comments). I will try to answer all letters. But do not be offended if you do not obtain the answer. :)