ArticleThe Conversation (Canada)

Businesses Have a Moral Responsibility to Stand Up to Autocrats

David Silver, University of British Columbia, 2025

https://theconversation.com/businesses-have-a-moral-responsibility-to-stand-up-to-autocrats-263170?utm_medium=article_clipboard_share&utm_source=theconversation.com

Philosopher David Silver argues that corporations are not merely profit-seeking entities but moral agents responsible for defending liberal democracy when authoritarian leaders pressure them to comply. Drawing on his book Corporations and Persons: A Theory of the Firm in Democratic Society, Silver contends that businesses must resist coercion, act collectively, and uphold ethical duties that sustain free markets and democratic institutions.

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BookHarvard University Press

The Logic of Collective Action: Public Goods and the Theory of Groups

Mancur Olson, Jr., 1971

Mancur Olson’s classic work explains why individuals often fail to organize effectively around shared interests, even when collective action would benefit all. His “free rider” problem and distinction between small and large groups reshape understanding of labor unions, corporations, and political coalitions. Olson’s framework underlies modern theories of governance, lobbying, and institutional design—key foundations for Corporate Political Responsibility.

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ArticleMIT Sloan

Finding the Middle Ground in a Politically Polarized World

Craig Smith and Daniel Korschun

Presents a framework for when companies should present forceful or tempered political positions based on their publicly stated values and materiality.

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Website

Long-term Stock Exchange Listing Standards

The Long-Term Stock Exchange (LTSE) listing standards include expectations that companies will take responsibility for long-term decision-making across strategy, governance, executive compensation, stakeholder engagement, and investor relations. These standards are designed to help businesses build sustainable value over time for all stakeholders, rather than focusing on short-term gains, allowing investors to better assess long-term capital investments.

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ReportSaylor Academy

Mastering Public Relations

Saylor Foundation

This textbook section introduces major corporate and agency public-relations subfunctions: issues management, media and community relations, CSR and philanthropy, investor relations, marketing communications, government relations, lobbying, internal communication, crisis management, and more. It shows how communication, advocacy, and stakeholder engagement are structured inside organizations, shaping how they respond to risks, opportunities, and public scrutiny.

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Businesses Have a Moral Responsibility to Stand Up to Autocrats

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