Walmart

I don't think so. Companies like walmart can have a big effect on the local communities where they do their business. For this reason I beleive they should have an obligation to ofset their negative effects on those communites. Instead they are left to drive down living standards by offering low salaried jobs to people who have no choice but to take them. Then as you say these people now have no choice but to purchase from Wal-mart. They are basically monopolising communities. They might aswel pay their employees in walmart vouchers. Like others, they sell themselves as a 'carring' retailer, offering you low prices because 'we really care'. In truth they have abslutely no concern for their consumers, as long as they are buying their products. The only way to get more customers is for them to lower prices. This would lower profits, they don't want that so something else must have to give. These sort of companies are admired by capitalists and so other companies try to emulate them. If they are not given better restrictions these companies will soon run communities down to the ground. It is not only the US where they have this negative effect. Apart forom those countries where they own retail chains (like Asda in the UK), they also use sweatshops to prouduce their products in places where the local labour laws are ignored.

I think Walmart is indeed smart and attentive to society's needs: In my opinion, Walmart has been able to discount stuffs simply by giving new manufacturers a chance in the economy - and that, is a very good thing! Did you notice that Walmart would market items of similar quality or better to brand names by nobodies that most stores would never touch? I have no problem with anyone that is smart enough to know and understand that nonamers or nobodies can compete and also produce quality items! Oh, my only quarrel with Walmart is their attempt to get me to always exercise in their mega stores - by walking miles just to get an item or two (although I do not need that much exercise), seeing Walmart tend to place similar or complimentary items at opposite ends of their stores!

In defense of Wal Mart, they do give a lot to needy charities. This doesn't mean I like them, it just means I'm stating fact. It concerns me that they are rapidly taking control of the American economy. There is an old saying that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer and this seems to be the case with Wal Mart. They put out mom and pop businesses because nobody can compete with their prices. This takes away a lot of pride and loyalty we used to have for our fellow retailers. It also causes a lot of unemployment. Not everybody can work for Wal Mart so small towns are hit especially hard. I sometimes wish we could go back to the old ways where people did honest business and helped each other.

I firmly Believe , that the Current Administration ( in America ) is in Collusion w/ WalMart , in order to Keep the " Working Poor " just that. It is a terrible thing what WalMart does whenever WalMart Buys up a Community. Low prices " Always " means lost jobs "Always ".

yes and no, while i think walmart makes cheap goods available to the masses, it a) cuts out other CANADIAN companies and b) cuts out the little guy that has a family biz.