Preferential Treatment and Cronyism

In violent times
You shouldn't have to sell your soul
In black and white
They really, really ought to know
--Tears for Fears

Recently, General Electric (GE) informed the city of Cincinnati that it was considering a new office facility in the area--one that would be filled with 2,000 well paid employees. City officials have since been wheeling and dealing to arrange a prime downtown real estate location for the GE facility.

Such activity points out the preferential treatment afforded to big business by government. Tax incentives, subsidies, bailouts, trade negotiators, and regulatory representation are some of the services that government offers to big business.

These privileges benefit the franchises of large operators at the expense of small entrepreneurs. Competition, and therefore standard of living, falters.

Preferential treatment of big business by government is central to cronyism. Cronyism is central to the facsist flavor of socialism.