Sure they are... they buy up the little guy, screwing them of the dimes and pennies, while their sitting in their leather chairs, laughing all the way to the bank.
Yeah, and if the little guy doesn't sell out, the big guy sees to it they get stomped out. This can be either to cut prices so low that the little guy can't compete, and folds, or worse yet, the big guy closes down the little guy by force.
Let's see... what is it about our government that permits this? Hmmmmm.... lobby groups get paid to support the interests of large corporations. Politicians line their pockets and campaigns with corporate dollars.
Am I close?
Why is it that small businesses have not aligned themselves with each other, and go after the large corporations in an effort to stop the bullying?
I wish that we knew the answer to those questions, Kooka. It's unfortunate that the "little people" are the ones who work the hardest and get the least. It isn't right... but it seems to just be how life goes. I work my butt off, for what? The gov't takes half my paycheck, rent goes to half of what I have remaining... and then there's bills.
People are affraid to go in to business for themselves, for fear of those corporations that will come and swallow you up. I wanted to open up one of the Curves gyms for women, to do circuit training. But, it's like 40 - 50k. I don't have that... but if I took a loan, I would be so fearful that it would be run over, and I would be left with nothing but bills to pay the gov't back.
Maybe someday it will be easier for us little people to venture out and make something, without fear.
I think what a lot of people don't understand is how literal the control corporations wield actually is. Take Nokia for instance. They comprise 1/5th of Finland's total export and 2/3's of its stock market. Nokia has already put pressure on the government in regards to its steep tax levels. When you have a single company being one of the largest sources of a nation's income then you can be assured that the government are not the ones dictating domestic and foreign policy.
Strict governmental control over transnational corporations needs to be reinstated or the images of standing at attention to the "I'm Loving It" jingle will no longer be doom and gloom prophecy but clear cut reality.