Hacker News new | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submit login

I am confused about your use of the word 'borders' in this context. As long as there have been states there has been a concept of sovereign territory and so there have been borders, even if it was somewhat fuzzy where exactly that line was in real space.

Large companies are able to navigate the border issues because they are able to make deals with a government and can (at least promise) to bring in a lot of investment and wealth that the government might be able to realize in taxes, either directly from the company's revenues, or indirectly through other businesses and property that grows along with the company's investment.

That company's can do this more effectively than individuals is less a function of some kind of cynical conspiracy to cut out of the worker (though that might be a side benefit that both sides appreciate), than it is a simple pragmatic response to the fact that it is much easier to deal with a small number of people about a large sum of money than it is with a large number of people about small sums of money.

This is similar to why the U.S. government is so amenable to working so often with dictatorships to secure it's international interests. They can work with (or influence or bribe) a single person or small group to make large deals quickly and without having to worry about the messy politics and oversight associated with a democratic government that has to approve major policy decisions.




Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: