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THE Corporate State is based upon industrial or occupational organisation rather than the regional or geographical method of government used today. This feature runs through the whole system, both of Government and representation, and must be grasped as a fundamental before the real nature of the Corporate State can be appreciated. The regional administration of Democracy is largely replaced by functional industrial organisation on a vocational basis.
...the Corporate State endows industries and occupations with new powers of self-government. These powers are exercised in the same manner as those of local authorities today. In the position of the borough council we have the industrial corporation, which possesses the right to pass by-laws binding upon the industry as a whole, just as the council can pass by-laws for the borough.
Hitherto all attempts at industrial planning have broken down because of the difficulty of compelling an industry to fulfil agreements. In the Corporate system decisions arrived at by the corporation will be legally binding, and any breach will be punishable at law.
Within the Corporate State every great industry, and groups of smaller industries and professions, will be controlled by such a Corporation giving the industry powers of economic self-government.
The following is a list of Corporations, which would be required to control the economic system.
A - PRIMARY PRODUCTS.
1. Agricultural.
2. Fishing.
3. Mining and Fuel.
4. Iron and Steel.
5. Metal Trade.
B - INDUSTRIAL.
6. Engineering.
7. Printing and Paper Trade.
8. Shipbuilding.
9. Textiles. :
10. Leather and Rubber.
11. Glass and Pottery.
12. Chemicals.
13. Woodworking and Furnishing.
14. Clothing.
C. - DISTRIBUTIVE.
15. Building.
16. Public Utilities.
17. Transport.
18. Shipping and Docks.
19. Wholesale and Retail Trades.
D. - ADMINISTRATIVE, ETC.
20. Banking and Insurance.
21. Civil Service.
22. Professional.
23. Art and Entertainment.
24. Domestic.
25. Pensioners.
These Corporations would, in their turn, be split up into smaller groups functioning in single industries within the main category, but would represent the whole industrial section in relation to the central government.
We now turn to the typical Corporation, and see in what manner it is organised and how it will function. There will be represented on the Corporation employers, workers and consumers. Each group will be given equal representation and equal power, and may not be outvoted by the other two.
Sane functioning of the nation as a whole can only be attained by collaboration between the various industrial factors, not by their mutual hostility, as supposed by the Manchester school of economists.
(Cont.)