Like many of you, my wife and I saved for retirement. In addition, I was fortunate to have retired from a company that had a pension plan. Today, those are more and more rare, with a "matched IRA" perhaps. So I'm thankful; nearly forty years of hard work were not in vain.
However I feel that capitalism, in order to survive long term, must be more than Adam Smith's "invisible hand" of forces that move to return the most efficient return on capital. As an extension of this, it was taught from a legal standpoint that companies existed to maximize the return on investment of their owners, the stockholders. In this model, there were only stockholders as stakeholders.
Fortunately, a different model is gaining traction with the idea of three primary stakeholders: owners/stockholders, communities of factories/facilities, and employees. In addition, "society writ large" often is included as an overall partner. Of course effective corporations also recognize the need to be responsible to their suppliers, stewards of the environment and Mother Earth, as well as being law abiding members of society.
If capitalism is to survive as a progressive force in the betterment of mankind, this sort of thinking is needed. Otherwise a form of greed, or "capitalistic corruption" will generate its own downfall. That will not be a pretty picture for any of us.
Comments are welcome and will be published, pro and con without the writer's identity. Make your comments below, or send to me via email at n3bb@mindspring.com
"I'd rather be someplace I want to be, rather than some place I could have been." (Not sure where I saw this ... I borrowed it from elsewhere but sure do agree with it)
Enjoy life, it's the only one we will get.
Jim George
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* Please check out my books and blogs on my author website:
www.authorjkgeorge.com
and recommend them to your friends. Also, recall that I’ll travel to any book club or radio club within two hours of Austin to discuss either of the books and answer any questions. Any and all comments are welcome either by email to my return address, n3bb@mindspring.com, or to the website in the comments section after any blog.
* Reunion is available in stock at Tamarack on the West Virginia Turnpike as well as at amazon.com and other Internet locations. It’s under consideration for a movie.
*Contact Sport is in stock in hardcover print form at any of the thirteen HRO (Ham Radio Outlet) stores nationwide as well as at DX-Engineering and the American Radio Relay League. In addition, many Barnes and Noble stores nationwide carry it in stock, and they as well as Book People in Austin or any independent bookstore can order it. You can buy direct at my website’s link for a personalized copy. In addition, Contact Sport is available in either eBook or/and audible book formats.
