Brands as Government - The Start of a Trend?
Sebastian Mallaby writes in the August 7 Washington Post that brand identity is becoming so important that corporations are increasing their responsiveness to social concerns, often acting ahead of rather than in response to governmental action.
This is a welcome trend, as it mimics the development strategy outlined in the Christian Libertarian Party Manifesto. We believe that employee and union owned firms will do more for advancing worker rights, both here and abroad, than any governmental action. If such firms adopt the changes we have outlined, they will our perform traditional firms and attract the best workers and the savviest shareholders, thereby forcing the competition to follow their lead.
These firms will also be leaders in Social Security privatization - not the President's proposal but one that allows for direct investment in the employer. Privatizing Social Security in this way allows for a massive increase in capital formation, more than any other tax incentives designed to boost the savings rate. It also grants employees even more control over their workplaces - thus decreasing the need for governmental regulation.
These firms will also take the lead in paying a family wage and offering education and health benefits. When tax reform is considered, they will weigh in seeking these changes in the tax code for their benefit and the benefit of other workers.
Finally, using economic muscle for social legislation keeps the playing field level. Paying a living wage is potentially non-competitive. Firms who are leaders in this regard could suffer - and many who would do so have not because they fear a loss of competitiveness. While branding mitigates this it does not eliminate it. Resorting to governmental action keeps them from operating at a disadvantage (which is why minimum wage legislation is gaining traction in the business community).
For more information, see the following links to our Iowa Center for Fiscal Equity think tank site:
http://www.geocities.com/iowaequity/socialsecurityandownership.html
http://www.geocities.com/iowaequity/Governance.html
http://www.geocities.com/iowaequity/PayEquity.html
http://www.geocities.com/iowaequity/taxreformproposal.html
This is a welcome trend, as it mimics the development strategy outlined in the Christian Libertarian Party Manifesto. We believe that employee and union owned firms will do more for advancing worker rights, both here and abroad, than any governmental action. If such firms adopt the changes we have outlined, they will our perform traditional firms and attract the best workers and the savviest shareholders, thereby forcing the competition to follow their lead.
These firms will also be leaders in Social Security privatization - not the President's proposal but one that allows for direct investment in the employer. Privatizing Social Security in this way allows for a massive increase in capital formation, more than any other tax incentives designed to boost the savings rate. It also grants employees even more control over their workplaces - thus decreasing the need for governmental regulation.
These firms will also take the lead in paying a family wage and offering education and health benefits. When tax reform is considered, they will weigh in seeking these changes in the tax code for their benefit and the benefit of other workers.
Finally, using economic muscle for social legislation keeps the playing field level. Paying a living wage is potentially non-competitive. Firms who are leaders in this regard could suffer - and many who would do so have not because they fear a loss of competitiveness. While branding mitigates this it does not eliminate it. Resorting to governmental action keeps them from operating at a disadvantage (which is why minimum wage legislation is gaining traction in the business community).
For more information, see the following links to our Iowa Center for Fiscal Equity think tank site:
http://www.geocities.com/iowaequity/socialsecurityandownership.html
http://www.geocities.com/iowaequity/Governance.html
http://www.geocities.com/iowaequity/PayEquity.html
http://www.geocities.com/iowaequity/taxreformproposal.html
posted by Michael Bindner at 11:28 AM
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