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Radio Atlantic

Does America Have a Monopoly Problem?

Radio Atlantic

The Atlantic

Politics, News, Society & Culture

4.41.9K Ratings

🗓️ 16 March 2018

⏱️ 47 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

“Politicians from both parties publicly worship the solemn dignity of entrepreneurship and small businesses. But by the numbers, America has become the land of the big and the home of the consolidated,” writes The Atlantic’s Derek Thompson. In a time when Americans have lost faith in their institutions, the nation seems to now look to corporations for positive action. Can big business be a force for good or only a force for profit? Does their very size pose a threat? If corporations can be people, can they be good citizens? Links - “Is Big Business Really That Bad?” (Robert D. Atkinson and Michael Lind, April 2018 Issue) - “America’s Monopoly Problem” (Derek Thompson, October 2016 Issue) - “'Corporations Are People' Is Built on an Incredible 19th-Century Lie” (Adam Winkler, March 5, 2018) - “How American Business Got So Big” (Gillian B. White, November 18, 2016) - “A Small Town Kept Walmart Out. Now It Faces Amazon.” (Alana Semuels, March 2, 2018) - “Why Amazon Pays Some of Its Workers to Quit” (Alana Semuels, February 14, 2018) - “The Internet Is Enabling a New Kind of Poorly Paid Hell” (Alana Semuels, January 23, 2018) - “Hitchens Talks to Goldblog About Cancer and God” (Jeffrey Goldberg, August 6, 2010) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

In the mid 20th century, big companies like GM and Xerox used to be relatively popular with the public.

0:06.0

Now big business is much likelier to draw skepticism, if not outright hostility.

0:11.0

But in the Trump administration, corporations might be Progressive's best hopes for advancing

0:15.6

their policy agenda on issues from immigration to LGBTQ rights.

0:20.3

So is big business good? evil, or just business?

0:26.6

This is the Atlantic, and with me in person in New York

0:48.0

are my esteemed co-hosts, Alex Wagner. Hello Alex. Hi Matt, so nice to see your

0:55.2

So nice to see your lovely face in person. Okay no cross talk. Jeff

1:02.0

Jeffrey Goldberg editor-in-chief of the Atlantic.

1:05.0

Oh, I think Fun just left the room.

1:07.0

I just...

1:08.0

We have a lot to talk about.

1:10.0

We've got a lot to talk about here.

1:12.0

Always a pleasure to sit down with you.

1:13.6

Is it really? It is.

1:15.0

No. Is it really?

1:17.0

You balance out, you balance out my soniness and earnestness

1:20.0

with a healthy layer of grump.

1:23.4

Also joining us today is Derek Thompson, senior editor at the Atlantic.

1:27.4

Thank you, Matt.

1:28.0

It's such a pleasure to be here.

1:29.1

It's so delightful to have you.

...

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