The Influence of Corporations

The influence that corporations can have on government is something that still needs much refinement in control. The satisfaction of personal interests in terms of money and power that corporations can provide to government officials is a cause for concern. This power that corporations can have on government officials severely impairs the government’s job of looking out for the public welfare. This is what lobbying is capable of. In the particular case of Nestle’s book, food lobbying and food research are examined and how they generate a conflict of interest between the interests of corporations and public as well as environmental health.

            One of the problems with the influence corporations exert over food research and food legislation is that it is done in a way that is not explicit enough to stop easily. In fact, through research shown by Nestle, it is not even necessary for corporations to explicitly tell government officials to represent their interests. They can reinforce the voting of government officials for laws that represent their corporate interests by donating money to the officials who voted for their interests. In this way they can discourage government officials from not voting for laws that favor their interests by withdrawing donations in the following election term. With this system in place, government officials who do not represent the interests of corporations will likely have fewer funds to run for government.