Treating a government like a corporation is a flawed approach because the two operate in fundamentally different contexts. A company’s primary goal is to maximize profit for shareholders, while a government’s duty is to serve the public good, ensure stability, and uphold justice. If governance were driven purely by efficiency and cost-cutting, essential services like education, healthcare, and infrastructure could suffer. Some functions of government, such as national defense and public safety, aren’t meant to be profitable but are necessary for a stable society.
Corporations answer to investors, but governments must be accountable to the entire population, including those who lack financial or political influence. A business can prioritize its most profitable customers, but a government must ensure fair treatment for all, particularly marginalized communities. When public services are privatized or run like businesses, they often become inaccessible to those who need them most, deepening inequality.
Another key difference is the time horizon. Businesses often focus on short-term profits, whereas governments must plan for the long term. Climate policy, infrastructure development, and social programs require decades of investment. A corporate mindset, obsessed with immediate returns, could lead to decisions that neglect future generations.
Moreover, governments operate on a much broader scale than businesses. While companies compete in markets, nations navigate complex global relationships involving diplomacy, security, and trade. If a government were run like a business, prioritizing only its own short-term interests, it could undermine global cooperation and stability.
There’s also a risk of authoritarianism in this mindset. In corporations, CEOs wield significant decision-making power, but in a democracy, power must be distributed, with checks and balances. A government run like a business could encourage a more top-down, unilateral style of leadership, weakening democratic institutions.
While governments can adopt certain efficiencies from the private sector—like leveraging technology and streamlining bureaucracy—the core purpose of governance is fundamentally different. The public sector exists to serve people, not profit. If we treat governance as a business venture, we risk eroding democracy, increasing inequality, and prioritizing short-term efficiency over long-term societal well-being. Effective governance requires balancing pragmatism with empathy, short-term demands with long-term vision, and national interests with global responsibilities.
Power and Pelf 