There are some legitimate questions about Greenpeace's policies, but the
kinds of things you criticize don't seem to me to be among them.
Of course any group that wants to have an effect needs money. That doesn't
make it a business. A business is defined as an entity whose purpose is
the making of profit for distribution to its owners , or for accumulation
for greater subsequent distribution. The purpose is the profit; that isn't
the case with Greenpeace, where the sale of goods is instrumental. If a
marketing director for Greenpeace were drawing a steadily increasing
salary linked to sales, the answer might be different; but I've heard no
allegations to that effect.
I assume all of us sell something, e.g. teaching services; that doesn't
make us businesses. If we get to the point where the purpose of our
selling them is to make a profit over and above our living expenses (there
are fancier ways of saying this), and we begin accumulating for even
greater profit, then maybe; but I trust noone on this list does that!
And shouldn't Greenpeace be responsive to its members' priorities? That
doesn't make it a business; that makes it a democratic orgranization.
Peter Marcuse
Columbia University
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