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Megacorporations are a form ofcorporate entity differentiated by their global scale of activities and broad scope of influence, which exceed even those of amultinational corporation (MNC). They are often characterised bymonopolistic control over multiple markets—and sometimes eventrade in general[1]—and the exercising of quasi-governmental powers, either viacontrol of the government (such as through aprivate militia or extensivecorruption) or through the governing of their ownsovereign territory.
Although megacorporations are most frequently a trope ofscience fiction (particularly the sub-genre ofcyberpunk), historical examples have been proposed, including theDutch East India Company,[2] the (English and later British)East India Company and theHudson's Bay Company. The term has also been applied to the members ofBig Tech, such asAlphabet Inc. (Google),Facebook, andAmazon.[3]
The term was coined by the economistAlfred Eichner in his 1976 bookThe Megacorp and Oligopoly: Micro Foundations of Macro Dynamics.[4] The concept was later popularized by the writerWilliam Gibson incyberpunk literature, notably in his 1984 science fiction novelNeuromancer,[5] though Gibson himself did not use the label directly.[6]
InMegacorporation: The Infinite Times of Alphabet (2021), Glen Whelan differentiates the megacorporation from other types of corporation by the relative scale and scope of its actions, as well as more specific characteristics that include monopoly, corporatesocial responsibility concerns, political-economic hybridity, and existential impacts.[6]
Such organizations as a staple of science fiction long predate cyberpunk, appearing in the works of writers such asThea von Harbou (Metropolis, 1927),Frederik Pohl andCyril M. Kornbluth (The Space Merchants, 1952),Robert A. Heinlein (Citizen of the Galaxy, 1957),Philip K. Dick (Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, 1968),Robert Asprin (The Cold Cash War, 1977), andAndre Norton (theSolar Queen novels). The explicit use of the term in theTraveller science fictionroleplaying game from 1977 predates Gibson's use of it.[7] The transnationals, and later metanationals inKim Stanley Robinson'sMars Trilogy are an example of mega corporations that exceed most countries in political influence.[8]
In theAlien film franchise the unscrupulous megacorporation Weyland-Yutani, which seeks to profit from the aliens’ acidic blood, controls much of Earth and the solar system.
In the animatedPixar filmWALL-E, the megacorporationBuy n' Large has completely supplanted every planetary government.
In theAvatar series of films, theResources Development Administration (RDA) is a megacorporation that outmatches most governments in wealth, influence, and military power. The RDA has monopolized ownership of all extraterrestrial colonies and assets, granted in perpetuity by an international committee.
In the sci-fi strategy gameStellaris, players can choose to control a megacorporation that has consumed all aspects of their alien government, with variable policies such asindentured servitude, media conglomerates, or even employee resurrection.[9]
In the video gameThe Outer Worlds, many megacorps purchase the rights to solar systems from Earth governments. Corporate colonies, being lightyears away from government influence, are effectively governed by their parent companies, with employment acting as citizenship.[citation needed]
In theDoom video game franchise, theUnion Aerospace Corporation (UAC)—a multi-planetaryconglomerate—is often referred to as a megacorporation.[10]
InCyberpunk 2077, several megacorporations (most notably Arasaka and Militech) are multinational entities that dominate nearly every aspect of society, from politics to the economy. These corporations are so powerful that they function almost like states unto themselves, exerting control over vast territories and influencing the daily lives of the populace. They often operate outside or above the reach of traditional governments, often exhibit cutthroat, morally bankrupt practices, driven by a relentless pursuit of profit and power. Ethics are secondary, and corporate warfare—both economic and physical—can result in the deaths of thousands, if not millions. These corporations will often engage in sabotage, espionage, or even orchestrate political coups to secure their interests. They also manipulate public opinion through media and control over information, ensuring their image remains pristine while their unethical activities remain hidden.[11]
In theTitanfall franchise, which containsApex Legends, a megacorporation named Interstellar Manufacturing Corporation [IMC] dominates the entire mining and manufacturing industry across theFrontier (galaxy) based on Earth, well as maintaining private military contractors to suppress dissidents. According to the Protagonist Jack Cooper, as long as they find a profitable resource reserve in a planet, it forces their residents out of land, destroys their environment, and kills anyone who dares to resist, to maximize profits.[12]
In the indie gameStardew Valley, the Joja Corporation seems to have monopolized the entire markets of retail, logistics, mining, manufacturing, and emergency healthcare.[13]
Although there are more fictional examples, certain real-life corporations, such as colonial-erachartered companies andzaibatsu, have been proposed to meet the definition of a megacorporation.
Today, many countries havecompetition laws (also known as antitrust laws) to prevent real-life corporations from having mega-corporation characteristics. On the other hand, some countries protect a certain industry deemed important by mandating that only a single company, usually state-owned, can operate in it; this is calledstate capitalism. An example of the latter isSaudi Arabia, which gains the majority of its government revenues through its mega-corporationSaudi Aramco.[citation needed]
In the 2006 bookThe Wal-Mart Effect, Charles Fishman describes the American multinational retail companyWalmart as "[in] a whole class of megacorporations of which Wal-Mart is just the most extreme, vivid example".[17] The American multinational technology conglomerateAlphabet Inc. (the parent holding company of Google) has also been described as a megacorporation,[18] as have other members of Big Tech such asMeta (Facebook) andAmazon.[3]
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