Index

The State of the Stateless

A new oxymoron for the modern age: “American Corporation” - All of the big corporations have recognized and are acting on the certain knowledge that they are operating in a planet-wide economy. Above a certain size, they operate with no allegiance to (or governance by) any country - they are truly stateless, regardless of where they are supposedly based and/or governed.

At the same time, the governments of most of the various nations are in deep denial of that basic truth. The one big experiment in dealing with this reality, the Eurozone, is in serious danger of failure, thanks in large part to the fact that the European governments have failed to collect the taxes they need from the companies, and therefore are in danger of insolvency.

Why are the European governments in deeper trouble than the US government?  Because they take better care of their common citizens, when the Americans let them sink more when they get in trouble.  Pressure from the public in both areas is forcing the governments to make choices, because neither set of governments will clamp down on the corporations and collect what they are due; the companies are counting on this behavior, and play them off against each other to make sure it continues.