Do businesses have a moral responsibility to stand up to autocrats?

Aspiring autocrats are increasingly pressuring businesses to co-operate with their quest for wealth and power, such as by demanding they direct corporate funds towards their personal enrichment or fire personnel who are critical of them.

This dynamic was on display when ABC announced it was “indefinitely” ceasing to air Jimmy Kimmel Live! following remarks the late-night host made about the shooting death of Charlie Kirk. The move followed public pressure from an official in the Donald Trump administration responsible for licensing ABC’s local stations. ABC has since announced the show will return to the air on September 23.

Autocrats undermine democratic societies by rejecting the rule of law, the separation of powers, free and fair elections and the rights of vulnerable groups. They also threaten free markets by tying business success to political co-operation and obedience rather than to skill in the marketplace.

These threats remind us that the business community is a critical part of democratic society and it shares responsibility for protecting it.

Public reaction often splits when companies are regarded as having capitulated to autocratic demands, as when Paramount settled a lawsuit with Trump over editorial decisions in the production of a CBS interview.

In such cases, some direct their anger towards the companies, arguing they have an obligation to resist. Others argue that such moral anger is misplaced because these businesses are simply...

Read more