is microsoft the evil empire from wikipedia: evil is a broad term used to indicate a negative moral...

Is Microsoft the Evil EmpireIs Microsoft the Evil Empire

From Wikipedia:From Wikipedia: EvilEvil is a broad term used to indicate a is a broad term used to indicate a

negative moral or ethical judgment, often negative moral or ethical judgment, often used to describe intentional acts that are used to describe intentional acts that are cruel, unjust, or selfish. Evil is usually cruel, unjust, or selfish. Evil is usually contrasted with good, which describes contrasted with good, which describes intentional acts that are kind, just, or intentional acts that are kind, just, or unselfish. unselfish.

Copyright © 2008 by Helene G. Kershner


Industrial RevolutionIndustrial Revolution Movement of people from rural farms to Movement of people from rural farms to

urban factoriesurban factories These new industries made fortunes for their These new industries made fortunes for their

owners at the expense of their workersowners at the expense of their workers Robber-BaronsRobber-Barons

– Businessmen and bankers who dominated their Businessmen and bankers who dominated their respective industriesrespective industries

– Anti-competitive business practicesAnti-competitive business practices Late 19th and early 20th centuryLate 19th and early 20th century Resulted in the rise of UnionsResulted in the rise of Unions



ChevronChevron – Environmental and human rights abuses 1964-1992Environmental and human rights abuses 1964-1992– Leaving toxic waste to pollute rivers and local water Leaving toxic waste to pollute rivers and local water

tables in Ecuadortables in Ecuador– Violent repression of peaceful opposition to its oil Violent repression of peaceful opposition to its oil

extraction in Nigeriaextraction in Nigeria– Human right violations in Burma including torture, forced Human right violations in Burma including torture, forced

labor and forced migrationlabor and forced migration Coca-ColaCoca-Cola

– Between 1989-2002 eight union leaders bottling plants in Colombia were mysteriously killed after protesting the company’s labor practices

– In India, privatizing local water supply, bottled local water leaving a shortage that became contaminated. Discriminatory employer, sued in US court as being race-biased in hiring and promotion

The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives



Dow ChemicalDow Chemical– Agent Orange, Napalm– 1988 - Provided pesticides to Saddam Hussein despite

warning that they could be used to produce chemical weapons

– 2001 - acquired Union Carbide, whose leaking chemical plant in Bhopal India has left hundreds of thousands ill

DynCorp– Private mercenary contactor– Guard Afghan leaders, African oil fields, trail Iraqi police,

eradicate Colombian coca plants, protected business interests in New Orleans after Katrina

– Herbicides used in Colombia and Ecuador were highly toxic




KBR (Kellogg, Brown & Root), a subsidiary of Halliburton Corp.– Provides military support services– Questionable billing practices to US govt.

Monsanto – Employs child labor in IndiaEmploys child labor in India– Pesticide producerPesticide producer

Nestle– Illegal and forced labor in Africa– Aggressive marketing of infant formula in poor countries

in the 1980s– 2005, Nestle infant formula seized in Italy because it was

contaminated – Violates labor rights in Colombia




Suez-Lyonnaise Des Eaux– Privatization of water Philippines, and Bolivia making

local people unable to access their natural water supply Wal-MartWal-Mart

– Worker abuse, forced overtime, sex discrimination, Worker abuse, forced overtime, sex discrimination, illegal child labor abroadillegal child labor abroad

– Supports low prices by buying products from suppliers Supports low prices by buying products from suppliers that employ substandard labor condition and employ that employ substandard labor condition and employ child laborchild labor

– 2005 International Labor Rights Fund filed suit on behalf 2005 International Labor Rights Fund filed suit on behalf of sweatshop workers in China, Indonesia, Bangladesh, of sweatshop workers in China, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Nicaragua and SwazilandNicaragua and Swaziland




What about Microsoft?What about Microsoft?– Predatory business practices– Does everything it can to stifle competition– Integrates products so they are all bundled together– Poor or terrible user support– Gives some software away (IE) to make profitable

competition impossible (Netscape)– Not just a software company

MSN (created to go head-to-head with AOL) Hotmail – now Microsoft is an ISP Hardware – Intellimouse, Natural Keyboard MSNBC – new network Xbox – game company



Microsoft is a Microsoft is a BullyBully

– Wikipedia: Wikipedia: Bullying is the act of intentionally causing harm to others, through verbal harassment, physical assault, or other more subtle methods of coercion such as manipulation.

– Lawsuits over monopolistic practices in US and EU– Buys, sues or threatens potential competitors



Does Microsoft actually Does Microsoft actually harmharm consumers? consumers? Does Microsoft harm its employees?Does Microsoft harm its employees?

– 12,000 employee millionaires12,000 employee millionaires– Pays it’s people very, very wellPays it’s people very, very well

Yes, hard work and long hoursYes, hard work and long hours– No hint of discriminatory hiringNo hint of discriminatory hiring

Are we angry because it appears to be the Are we angry because it appears to be the only “game” in town?only “game” in town?

Could their software be better?Could their software be better?– Yet has some of the most creative, innovative Yet has some of the most creative, innovative

features features – Their products really do work togetherTheir products really do work together


Businessmen Considered Robber Barons -- Wikipedia

Sam Walton (retail) Bill Gates (software) – Redmond, Washington John Jacob Astor (real estate, fur) – New York City Andrew Carnegie (railroads, steel) –

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Jay Cooke (finance) – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Charles Crocker (railroads) - California Daniel Drew (finance) – New York state James Buchanan Duke (tobacco) – near

Durham, North Carolina James Fisk (finance) – New York state Henry Flagler (railroads, oil, the Standard Oil

company) – New York City and Palm Beach, Florida


Businessmen Considered Robber Barons -- Wikipedia

Henry Ford (automobile) – Dearborn, Michigan and metropolitan Detroit, Michigan

Henry Clay Frick (steel) – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and New York City

John Warne Gates (steel, oil) – Chicago and Texas Jay Gould (finance, railroads) – New York (both state

and city) Edward Henry Harriman (railroads) – New York state George Hearst (gold) Collis P. Huntington (railroads) – California, Virginia,

and New York Andrew Mellon (finance) - Pennsylvania J. P. Morgan (finance) - New York Mark Hopkins (railroads) - California


is microsoft the evil empire from wikipedia: evil is a broad term used to indicate a negative moral...

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