A Love Story

In this review there will be two film's discussed, the first being The Corporation, and the second Capitalism: A Love Story. Both of these films discuss the capitalist economy, as well as the global corporate world and what is becoming of society. Capitalism goes into detail as it looks at the effects of capitalism, and corporate greed on the citizens of America, with specific regard to the economic meltdown of 2008, housing market crash, and bailouts. The Corporation, looks more specifically at the immoral, and unethical practices that many of the world's largest corporations get mixed up in, in order to drive up profits.

The Corporation discusses in thorough detail the miscues of some of the world's largest corporations, while also discussing many ethical issues ignored in order to raise profits. This film provides many details as to how corporations we deal with on a daily basis directly, and indirectly have been operating their business for years, committing atrocities which largely go unnoticed, while at the same time, these organizations are killing the democratic society of the western culture, through borderless business, and infiltrating government to create favourable policies. Two prime examples used in the film include Coca Cola, and IBM, during World War II both organizations were attempting to figure out how they could remain profitable in Nazi occupied Europe. Coca Cola decided to release a beverage called Fanta Orange; this was done so to keep their name out of the western eye, while maintaining rising profits. IBM on the other hand decided not to hide anything, the organization leased punch-card systems to the Nazi's, which were to be used at the concentration camps, offices, and on all the trains; furthermore, IBM had to send out a technician every month for on-site servicing for each of the machines, as well as printing of custom punch-cards, allowing the Nazi's to organize prisoners by race, sexual-orientation, religion, whether imprisoned or executed, etc.

The most critical point discussed in Capitalism argues that the capitalistic ideologies are evil; throughout the film there are sound-clips that seem like they were recorded in the 50's, where someone says "capitalism, for the good of the people, and aligning with everything the Bible teaches us," this notion of God approving capitalism is what the films creator, Michael Moore, believes tricked the American people into accepting that capitalism is for the good of all people. From the very beginning of the film, Moore speaks to different people adversely affected by the economic meltdown, all who have had their homes foreclosed on, and it is quickly shown that capitalism is great for the opportunistic, well-to-do and conniving, but a social death sentence for the working class - the demise of the middle class. This film illustrates in great detail the economic downfall and how it has really affected the citizens of America, and to a lesser degree Canada; the immediate outcome is thousands of lost jobs on a frequent basis. There is potential for growth afterwards, however with the same people in control, whom essentially robbed the American people of billion's of tax dollars, the middle class is expected to continue to dwindle. This film also discusses the atrocities committed by the CEO's of financial firms such as Goldman Sachs; former CEO became Treasurer of the United States helping in the push for a big bailout, while also maintaining Goldman Sachs favourable position as a leading American financial institution, ensuring they got everything they needed.

While the films are not directly related, the indirect relationship is immense; in today's society you cannot have one