Supercapitalism

For all of those friends of mine (you know you're out there) who rally against Wal-Mart, I would ask that you please read, "Supercapitalism: The Transformation of Business, Democracy and Everyday Life," by Robert B. Reich, who was secretary of labor under former President Bill Clinton.
This is the book I would have written if I already had my master's in economics, and is precisely the reason I'm getting my master's. Reich goes into painstaking detail on the transformation of the American economy from democratic capitalism to supercapitalism, under which companies like Wal-Mart have been able to flourish.
Who stands at fault for the transformation? Of course, it's a combination of factors, but essentially it boils down to consumers and investors.
What have I been saying for years? I say, Listen up, ya'll. I ain't talking just to hear my head roar.
Wal-Mart's success and the success of companies like Starbucks are symptoms of this transformation. As Jack White of the White Stripes sings in, "Effect and Cause," "You can't blame a baby for her pregnant mom..."
You can't blame Wal Mart and Starbucks and Tesco and Whole Foods and the like for taking advantage of growth opportunities that would have left them dying if they hadn't followed through.
The businesses are on steroids, and consumers and investors are administering the drugs.