Norman–of course, we ought to condemn the “corporate state”–which Richman defines as “the systematic intervention largely on behalf of incumbent business interests that tamps down competition and squelches alternatives, including self-employment, for many workers.” Yes, various government regulations harm the poor, and are favored by big business (e.g., minimum wage laws). (Here, Rand was sadly too idealistic in proclaiming “big business” to be “America’s Persecuted Minority”–yes, it is, in a sense; but being an owner of capital does not make one an advocate of laissez-faire capitalism, unfortunately.)

Sure, maybe we can impress lefties if we “emphasize how the current corporatist ‘mixed economy’ harms working people”–to the extent we agree that corporations and business should not receive favoritism and subsidies. But somehow I think joining forces with the left’s corporation- and industry-bashing won’t really help liberty. You often hear liberals say Republicans, if they oppose welfare, should also oppose corporate welfare. Of course this is true–but the liberal is merely scoring debating points by highlighting Republic hypocrisy. Do we really believe the liberal wants to get rid of both corporate and individual welfare? Of course not.

I fail to see what good it will do to show them that we agree with them that corporations should not get special legal treatment or tax subsidies. The liberal is not against subsidizing corporations because he opposes tax subsidies per se; he is against subsidizing business because of a hatred for industrialism and progress (here, I think Ayn Rand was more or less on target; see, e.g., her The New Left: The Anti-Industrial Revolution; see also Lew Rockwell’s great Anti-Environmentalist Manifesto, and his My Vice: Hating the Environment). And can you imagine a liberal calling shoplifters “monsters,” as Rockwell righty does in his caption (“Attention, Shoplifters: Stores are using hi-tech to fight these monsters”) linking to this story–?

And note, the liberal considers a tax break to be a subsidy. I fear joining in the left’s corporation- and business-bashing will be analogous to advocating a national sales tax or flat tax to “replace” the income tax: if you do this, as Rockwell notes, you’ll just end up with both.

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