THE CORPORATION (MONGREL MEDIA, 2003)

By Rick Jackson

The Corporation is a gripping, absorbing and compelling documentary. It examines the shareholder-owned corporation as a person and asks what kind of person it is, its character, and the consequences (both good and bad) on the environment (i.e. air and water pollution), and how important it is for governments to act since they have the power to deal with the corporations.

As you watch it, many questions are asked, with some left unanswered for you to ponder and discuss with friends afterwards. It is meant to be controversial, informative and still shed some hope in the future of the corporation.

In the film, the definition of a corporation is a family unit working together for a common end. Using archival footage and interviews, it brings together a unique perspective to its subject and, for many who see it, it will be an eye-opener.

Mark Achbar, Jennifer Abbott and Joel Bakan divide it into many chapters identified in red, beginning with the birth of the corporation in 1702 by Thomas Newcomb and how he perceived its purpose to serve the public good. It goes on to mention the impact of the Industrial Revolution when the corporation needed more power.

It's limited liability is discussed in "A Legal Person," while in "Case Histories," it analyzes and formulates corporate activity, and the celebrity representation. The filmmakers use Kathie Lee Gifford's sponsorship of jeans as an example.

The environmental hazards posed by the paper mills that pollute nearby rivers with white foam and the Exxon Valdez oil spill bring you closer to understanding what the corporations have been doing.

Although much of what you see may be nothing new since a lot of it has made the news in both the broadcast and print media, it is still a powerful reminder of the threat the corporations are engendering and how necessary it is for governments to start empowering through legislation the means to prevent further deterioration of the planet's resources. They must held accountable.

From the a historical viewpoint, it shows how the Americans financed Nazi Germany and made a profit with Fanta Orange. It drives home the more pressing point of how important it is for governments to force corporations to act more responsibly when it comes to politics.

In "Mindset," Marc Berry, a competitive intelligence professional, aka "spy," tells how he (and presumably others like him in other companies) have acted as predators.

Another major point raised is how the executives and CEOs at the corporate level do not know or understand what it is they are doing to the environment.

In "Boundary Issues," it goes back to the historical events of the 14th to 16th centuries. Maude Barlow of the Council for Canadians stresses the importance of the survival of the planet. It must be maintained or it will die.

One of the more controversial questions raised is the RGBH or Monsanto that was given to cows which poisoned the milk supply. The potential health risk was not even discussed as the cows' condition worsened with more injections. The cost to the farmers is never brought up, either.

Achbar spent three-and-one-half years putting together the archival footage and interviews, a total of 450 hours, which co-director Abbott pared down to what you see on the big screen. There are many issues and concerns brought to your attention and it is all worth taking in. Don't miss it.

February 14, 2004

Copyright 2004 Rick Jackson