John Lloyd remarks on the roles and obligations of technology companies in society

In a column for Reuters (28 May), John Lloyd notes that the relationship between large technology corporations such as Google and Facebook and the nation state is of great importance to society.

In recent weeks these companies have faced pressure from lawmakers in both the US and the UK concerning their perceived efforts to avoid paying taxes. Yet John argues the disagreement actually runs much deeper than this, and suggests philosophical differences over the respective roles of private companies and governments in 21st century industrialized economies.

John concludes his column by remarking, “At times over their 100-year history, corporations have vied with governments for primacy and for the moral high ground. A new battle is now joined, and governments in Germany, France and other European states are following the UK and the US into the trenches. It's a battle not just for more tax revenue but also for the concept and practice of the nation-state and its provision of public goods. That makes the issue central to us all.”

The article can be read in full here.