Private Politics—The Business Conscience

On the surface, private politics could be considered a legal form of extortion. The social pressures exerted on businesses could be seen as unethical. When examined further, private politics and the related social pressure utilized to facilitate positive change for the larger good is not only ethical, but required. When viewed in this way, private politics can function as a conscience for businesses. To support this argument, this paper will examine extortion, the challenges businesses face addressing the needs of stakeholders, and an ethical analysis of the tactics used in private politics