World Sociology: Transnational Corporations (TNC's)

Types of TNC's:

INTERGOVERNMENTAL

- Legal Political e.g. UN or EU

-Economic Financial e.g. W.T.O or I.M.F

- Single Issue e.g. Interpol or WHO

NON-GOVERNMENTAL

- Relief and Development (Oxfam)

- Sovereign Entity (Red Cross)

- Lobbying (Green Peace or Amnesty International)

The Facts:

• The earliest T.N.C was the Dutch East India Company
• There was an explosion in volume of T.N.C's. "Corporate Century"
• Trade intensified because of it. T.N.C's take advantage and coordinate trade. 
• Since WW2 there has been an explosion in corporate form. There are now 1000++ T.N.C's. 
• These dwarfed economic power of nation states. 
• Economic Power = Political Influence

Bretton Woods Institutions:

• The World Bank Prevents Poverty. 
• The WTO removes trade barriers
• The IMF give out last resort loans. 

Strengths:

- Coordinates issues at a global level. 

- Centrilised source of funding. 

Weaknesses:

- Dollar per vote basis- gives rich more power. 

Washington consensus- by the rich for the rich. 

Positive of TNC's:

• Overcome economic barriers to development. 
• Overcome cultural barriers: educated workforce. promote values of education and urbanisation. 
• Progressive employment= gender inequality. 
• Creates jobs, brings…