Episode 5

So the word "Empire" has been on my mind for the last week or so. Keeps popping up, everywhere I turned. Thing is, its such a versatile word that it can easily be applied in various contexts.

It started off with my thinking of opening up businesses. These days, everyone says its risky as hell to invest so much into a business venture that may never reap any rewards. Fact of the matter is that since the dawn of capitalism the the concept of the coin, businesses have been starting up, and closing down.

For without the little mom and pops operations, life would really have been that much more harsh. The availability of goods and services by professionals (or at least more professional than yourselves, your family members, or your friends)and the parting of your coin in exchange for said goods and services, have been the way for the longest time. Of course, if your family, friends or yourselves had such operations, it'd be a bonus, with discounts and free favours. But nothing is truly free, just withdrawals and deposits in emotional bank accounts. But I digress....

It wasn't until Henry Ford and his super-industry of specialisation of labour that ushered in the Era of the Corporate Empire. All the big names started coming up thereabouts, and that's when they truly seem to embrace the Empire mold. By buying up all the mom and pop operations, those successful ones anyway (the sucky ones simply spontaneously combust), they pretty much will act like Rome of old, conquering foreign lands, co-opting their ideals and governance from afar. This is the only way after awhile, for operations to grow, to deliver increasing profits, simply by playing the numbers game. R&D, and coming up with new products definitely add to the bottom line, but nothing beats being more present, and more visible, to the consumers.

America too, had become The Empire of the 20th century. We are all familiar with their foreign policies all over the world, from Panama, Africa, Bosnia, Japan and now the Middle Eastern States. They push into foreign lands, to further grow their Empire, to permeate their so-called culture, to fill the pockets that produce the politicians, who press the policies for further growing their Empire. Its a vicious cycle.

And much like all cycles, The Empire has one too. It eventually fails to expand any further, and crumbles inwards. Corruption and greed at its core will destroy the very mechanisms that had made it successful thus far. In time, all large companies will disappear, and even countries will fade. Others will take their places, but what would be the nature of these upstarts. Would they serve for the betterment of mankind? Would we settle for Corporate Governance? Therein lies true power and purpose. The Truth.

Such a company, I will build. Care to join me?