I agree with the latter view form this title. The first or most important aim of
corporations is to make as much money as possible. And they can take the
social responsibility by engaging in business activities. Some people may
believe corporations also have a responsibility to promote the well-being
if the societies and environment. However, this is the responsibility of society
and government, rather than that of corporations.
The nature of corporations is making money, one corporation will not be seen
as corporation if it does not make money. In modern society, ability of making
money is the index to evaluate whether this corporation is great or not.
For example, fortune global 500 we always talked are ranked by revenues from
every corporation each year. Some people may say this rank standard is too
utilitarian, but this just the right way to measure ability of one company since
the nature of corporation is making money. So it is reasonable for corporations
to make as much money as possible within the law.
Besides, to be honest, engaging in business activities is the best way for corporations
to take their social responsibility. It is because there are many business activities
and corporations whose goals are to making money, society can become beautiful
nowadays at least in terms of materials wealth. Nearly all of the wealth in society
is created by corporations. They produce products, provide service in every fields,
and then the wealth will be created during this process. Thanks to the corporations
and business activities, people can receive jobs in society and accumulate their
personal wealth during this process. Thus, if corporations try their best to many money
within the law, they will just take their social responsibility and solve many problems.
Some people will think corporations should promote the well-being of societies and
environments because if they only try to make as much money as possible, they
will become greedy and push their staff to do a lot of work or damage the environment.
It is true that we should prevent these things happen, while this responsibility should
be taken by society or government, rather than corporations themselves. Corporations
may not pursue the sustainable development during the process of making money,
so government should make some rules and guide corporations to have a healthy development.
In sum, it is reasonable for corporations to make money as much as possible within the
law and they will naturally take their responsibility during this process. And in order
to promote the well-being of societies and environments, government should make
some more rules to guide corporations to have a healthy development.