Toward a Political Ethics of Multinational Corporations
Open Access DepositedPower, Structure, and Development
the corporation more broadly and MNCs specifically deserve greater attention in this field. Furthermore, each actor’s unique characteristics affect not only their behavior in the international system, but also their ethical obligations. In recent years, the field of business ethics has given increasing consideration to the private sector’s ethical obligations, but there remains room for further scholarship in political theory to explore MNCs’ unique position in the international system and how that informs their ethical obligations. This thesis seeks to contribute to a fuller and more accurate understanding of MNCs in the international system, focusing on what makes them unique actors differentiated from government and INGOs, questioning the nature and extent of their ethical obligations, and determining the real world implications for MNCs and the institutions that work with them. Ultimately, I argue that, in the context of international development, MNCs need an ethical framework centered around the duty not to exploit. I suggest that the values of compliance, transparency, and accountability be used to guide their fulfillment of this duty.
Multinational corporations (MNCs) have become increasingly powerful actors in the field of international development. And yet, MNCs as discrete actors in international development—separate from governments and international nongovernmental organizations (INGOs)—have received relatively little attention in the field of political theory. Governments and INGOs, on the other hand, have been considered by political theorists for how they constitute and interact with the international system as it relates to international development goals
- All rights reserved
Notice to Authors
If you are the author of this work and you have any questions about the information on this page, please use the Contact form to get in touch with us.