Comment by bsanr2

Governments are checked by the wavering legitimacy of any given representative within the government. In our system, we have a direct check on that legitimacy through elections.

Meanwhile, corporations frequently do not have to compete, having either become a monopoly or having agreed upon "standards" without which they insist solvency in their given area would be impossible (as they rake in untold riches in profit). The only check on that power is indirectly through refusing to transact with them en masse. However, as long as their credit is good, they can continue to exist and operate with impunity.

In the end, the question is of the accumulation of which currency determines who is "good" enough to run your life: political clout or money.

Franklu, people who have to be nice to me tend to do better by me than people who just happen to have a lot of money.