NationStates Jolt Archive

Several days ago, me and my friend were talking about Command and Conquer Red Alert 2. We got onto how Yuri is a rasputin like figure and George Bush senior being the possible next one of these. We then got onto the US president George W and an interesting fact presented itself. Most of the Bush Administation and George W's people are almost all on the board of directors for one big company or another. Colin Powell for example, was on the board of directors for AOL.
This led to a discussion over where the power lies in the World, is it with governments or with the big coorporations. After finishing government jobs in the UK, cabinet members are picked up by the big companys to be given cushy office jobs. These jobs however are given with the pretense that the ex-cabinet members must call in favours from high ranking ministers to further their companys ends.
The USA however brings the question up, what would happen if one company wanted a 'favour' and a second company called in a 'favour' to block what they were doing or stop the government. This is going to happen sooner, rather than later.
I could go with scenarios with how the companys will fight each other but you get the idea, hence the post name Microsoft Versus Disney, they were the biggest companys i could think of at the time of writing this post and thinking of the title.

you think too much

I only began tlking bout Red Alert 2, didnt think we wopuld end up getting to that!

Considering the growing power of corporations due to trade agreements such as GATT, NAFTA and the proposed FTAA, as well as the incredible pwoer of the WTO, it may likely be perpetuated due to corporations. Although, the WTO is simply another tool to ensure US hegemony....

The biggest fictional examples of what i mentioned above are the likes of Final Fantasy 7 and the Resident Evil series. Ok they may just be games, old ones at that, but the background is still the same. Coorporations seizing a form of power and using it and corrupting it to cause all out war. They're becoming more war-like in their search for profit than most countries were for power in WW1.

I wouldn't cry if MS and Disney killed each other.

I wouldn't cry if MS and Disney killed each other.

Most people wouldn't...

MS and Disney: faulty operating systems versus Mickey Mouse, i would probably die laughing as Mickey Mouse bludgeoned Windows XP.

When people vote, could they put why they voted for what they voted for plz!

When people vote, could they put why they voted for what they voted for plz!

While corporaions certainly are powerful, military conflict is going to be between nations for the forseeable future.

The US government has revenues almost $2 trillion. No corporation comes anywhere near that.

Corporations are generating a huge amount of money, microsoft being worth over $70 billion dollars is no small matter, microsofts ability to generate so much reveue is obscene. Bill gates being worth $70 billion is also another obscene amount which should not be possible.
When all of the companys are combined i'm sure that their figure exceeds $2 trillion dollars. Which is frightening.
I am however in agreement that the wars for the foresseable future will between countries, but who is controlling them countries will be very debateble. The balance of power will change.The influences of the huge companies is bigger than ever.

Corporations are generating a huge amount of money, microsoft being worth over $70 billion dollars is no small matter, microsofts ability to generate so much reveue is obscene. Bill gates being worth $70 billion is also another obscene amount which should not be possible.
When all of the companys are combined i'm sure that their figure exceeds $2 trillion dollars. Which is frightening.
I am however in agreement that the wars for the foresseable future will between countries, but who is controlling them countries will be very debateble. The balance of power will change.The influences of the huge companies is bigger than ever.

World War 3 will not involve corporations at all...

World War 3 will take place in the Middle East. The corporations and all that crap won't be able to do anything for a reeeaaalllyy long time.

Israel, most of the Arab countries, the United States, China, and Russia will be involved. The war will revolve around Israel, and the issue of the United States being there will play a factor in the build-up to the war.

There will be a large upheaval throughout the Arab countries over Israel and it's actions. The United States will speak out against the Arab countries' decisions, and the United States will be ridiculed for being in the Middle East already. The first attacks will be on Israel by the Arab countries. China will move in to protect it's interests (supplying the Arab countries, etc.), and Russia will join in as well, since they still have long-standing deals with many countries down in the Middle East.

So it's basically going to be:

Israel
United States
Maybe a few European countries

VS.

Most Arab countries (Iran, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, etc.)
Russia
China

None of this corporation crap....if that is EVER going to happen, it would happen in many, many, many years to come. Yes, corporations have massive amounts of revenue, but they don't have the influence or power to set up any form of military force. As soon as the United States or any country notices corporations becoming militant, they're going to shut them down faster than you can blink.

And it sounds pretty stupid....."yes, I fight for Microsoft"...."yes, I believe in my cause to fight for Nortel Networks!". Whot he hell is going to fight for Disney? Give me a break....

switch to linux, problem solved

dude i like microsoft as much as the next guy, but i dont think they can raise any sort of army....besides industrial espionage, which already goes on, but i dont think it would be microsoft versus disney anyway..... i wouldnt call the two direct competition. now if microsoft merges with disney, and then buys out general motors, and also buys out a cell phone giant like verison.....then i would start to be scared....as the governments of the world become westernized, the only foe will be the dirty terrorist, hense my vote for choice 3

Just so you pedantic repliers know, microsoft versus disney was a imaginary thing because everyone knows who they are.

My figures on microsoft were also incorrect, they were worth 650 billion dollars before the release of windows xp. Gates himself is worth 70 billion dollars.
I looked at the bush administaration and president bush's cabinet before. The amount of the original presidents bush's ministers and people on the board of directors in the cabinet is high.

And as for the earlier comment on the next world war involving russia. I say thats a load of pants because the only thing keeping the russians propped up is the UN and once russia declares war on a UN member nation, they lose their only stability.

cyberpunk stuff is good for the whole corporate conflict bit,
Now then as for some short thoughts (as always very random)

No American government would go to war with out the backing of the corporate sector, if they did the media (owned by corporations) would slam them, companies would cease funding the party and would generally scream and offer "presents" to other politicians, lawyers, lobby groups, etc until either the government backed down or was forced out.

So all military action must have some form of corporate mandate, even if it is indirect, in Iraq there is oil, construction work and other such things as well as the arms markets and other such businessess which offsets any loss in confidence or protest purchasing from other nations also great media opportunities. The down sides for business are limited, the government is happy coz it gets to do it's war thing and the companies are happy becouse they get paid. The only lossers are the soldiers and population and what does that matter when the $$$ are flowing? (I only use that as an example)

I doubt that corporations would wage large scale warfare, or if they did they would only do so once becouse war is very expensive. They would however use national militaries and mercenaries in order to do the waring and covert operations.

most global organisations pander to the financially strong (America) financially strong nations pander to their corporations or else they would not be strong, these corporations own most of the inferstructure in these nations from power to media to pharmaceuticals, agriculture and manufacturing...

anyway just some opening thoughts...

dp

dp

also a thought on the progression of corporate militrisation

corporations working in a nation moving industrial chemical agents from point a to point b hit a group of environmental activists who block the way and after a stand off become aggressive and attack the vehical, security unable to do anything and police busy dealing with civil dissobediance over recent fuel price rises are unable to intervene. The tanker is damaged and spews out chemical contaminants causing huge economic damage. The company is sued for environmental damage, the company however makes the point that it was unable to defend it's assets and the public. The company is granted permission to arm it's security forces appropriate to the risk of damage...
Other companies lobby and obtain the same right, after some time and corporate manipulation of the political system the police force is greatly depreciated and private corporate security is hired in place of normal police forces. The police being reduced to an investigative force mostly.

Anyway thats just a random scenario, never say never especially in todays ever changing world. Also like I said people with money don't need armies thats what countries are for!

:D

I've been discussing a idea similar to this with my friends: Microsoft might not be able to get a conventional army, but just think… they could make an army of robots! I can see it now... MS SkyNet, Terminator Edition.

No need to worry though folks-everything will go wrong when every edition of MS Windows for Terminators performs an illegal operation and shuts down...

:D

I've been discussing a idea similar to this with my friends: Microsoft might not be able to get a conventional army, but just think… they could make an army of robots! I can see it now... MS SkyNet, Terminator Edition.

No need to worry though folks-everything will go wrong when every edition of MS Windows for Terminators performs an illegal operation and shuts down...

*chuckles* the most lethal army in the world brought to it knees when

the memory cannot be "read"

BSOD

Why would a corporation need an army? They can as well use the countries's armies. Look at the Iraq war, isn't it Halliburton vs iraqis?

Why would a corporation need an army? They can as well use the countries's armies. Look at the Iraq war, isn't it Halliburton vs iraqis?
I know hence my lengthy posts on that, corporations would want covert teams to do espionage and sabotage and a security force but not fullscale armies...

on the face of it it will be between the government and terrorists but under the surface we all know it's about oil

Does anybody have any idea how much of pres' bush's cabinet is oil tycoons and company owners. I know colin powell used to be on the AOL board of directors and still is to my knowledge. The members who aren't big corporate tycoons are ex George Bush the first cabinet members.

I'm more interested in finding whoout which tycoons are bush cabinet members at the moment.

Does anybody have any idea how much of pres' bush's cabinet is oil tycoons and company owners. I know colin powell used to be on the AOL board of directors and still is to my knowledge. The members who aren't big corporate tycoons are ex George Bush the first cabinet members.

I'm more interested in finding whoout which tycoons are bush cabinet members at the moment.

BUMP