Factors that Affect Influence of Private Organizations

[INRM]

What factors tend to increase the influence of private organizations/corporations/banks

What factors tend to weaken the influence of private organizations/corporations/banks

[kellyb]

Laws and ideology?

I'm thinking of "direct to consumer" pharmaceutical advertising, here.



"If you think your society might be suffering from excessive corporate influence, talk to your doctor about what factors tend to increase the influence of private organizations/corporations/banks".

[The True Scotsman]

What factors tend to increase the influence of private organizations/corporations/banks

What factors tend to weaken the influence of private organizations/corporations/banks

Influence over what? Consumers? Domestic Government? International Government? The Orbit of Pluto?

[INRM]

The True Scotsman,

Influence over what?

Their influence over consumers, domestic/international government and politics

[The True Scotsman]

The True Scotsman,

Their influence over consumers, domestic/international government and politics

Things that can increase the influence of corporation over:

Consumers:
1. Market share
2. State-imposed restriction on market entry (utilities is a good example)

Domestic government:
1. Bribes

International government:
1. Bribes
2. Leverage (ex. percentage of country's exports with given corporation paired with number of comparable alternatives)

[timhau]

You forgot the most important: The number of Jews in the boardroom.

[blutoski]

Their influence over consumers, domestic/international government and politics

'influence' is vague, but based on a reasonable interpretation, I think the answer at a high level is: "money spent on marketing and lobbying."

(Which is why they spend money on marketing and lobbying - these are a very legal and honest investment in influence.)

The details of the marketing and lobbying wil vary with each industry, customer base, and government.

[The True Scotsman]

You forgot the most important: The number of Jews in the boardroom.

Don't you mean reptilian shape-shifters?

[timhau]

Don't you mean reptilian shape-shifters?

I just said so (just not in so many words).

[INRM]

blutoski,

Makes sense to me

[blutoski]

blutoski,

Makes sense to me

Explains 99% of it.

The other 1% would be illegal "influence peddling" (bribing a legislator) or tiresome legislators' conflicts of interest (either directly benefitting from legislation changes, or indirectly through a close relative).

Somethig else on the radar would be employee count. A large business is not being deceptive if they point out that proposed legislative changes affect millions of jobs.

And lastly national security. An industry can have special influence if some of its products have national security properties. Every contractor in The MIC probably has a hotline to Washington.

[INRM]

blutoski

I think the answer at a high level is: "money spent on marketing and lobbying."

What factors reduce the incidence of lobbying?

The other 1% would be illegal "influence peddling" (bribing a legislator) or tiresome legislators' conflicts of interest (either directly benefitting from legislation changes, or indirectly through a close relative).

What factors reduce the incidence of bribery?

What factors reduce the incidence of legislator's conflict of interest?

[The True Scotsman]

What factors reduce the incidence of lobbying?

What factors reduce the incidence of bribery?

What factors reduce the incidence of legislator's conflict of interest?

Politicians are offered bribes and lobbied to because they have influence over important decisions. If you want to reduce bribery and lobbying in politics, reduce the influence of politicians over important decisions. (Note: This is assuming other things are equal and in a real world scenario this would beg the question "who, if anyone, is making these important decisions, if not elected officials?")

[blutoski]

What factors reduce the incidence of lobbying?

Companies seeing less value in it.
Making it illegal.


What factors reduce the incidence of bribery?

Companies seeing less value in it.
Likelihood of getting caught - it's already illegal.


What factors reduce the incidence of legislator's conflict of interest?

I don't think we can reduce the incidence, but some regions establish laws that state conflicts of interest mean the legislator must recuse him/herself from voting on a particular proposal. That reduces the impact, regardless of the raw indidence.

[Cheri_T]

You forgot the most important: The number of Jews in the boardroom.
Uncalled for, bigoted, and ignorant.

[Cheri_T]

Strengthen: Leadership that cares more about promoting their social issues (like the Koch brothers), and/or about short term profits above long term health of the corporation and its stakeholders.

Weaken: Transparent governance, outside independent directors, adequate regulation, and clear prohibitions against diversion of corporate resources to meddling in governmental affairs. We need to reverse Citizens United and ban corporations from lobbying elected officials or contributing to any campaigning for candidates or issues coming up for votes. Corporations may be "people" for the purpose of being able to enter into contracts, be sued, etc., but they are NOT citizens, and should not be allowed to interfere with citizen-business.

[The True Scotsman]

Uncalled for, bigoted, and ignorant.

I'm pretty sure Timhau was joking.