Profit & Power: Multinational Corporations in World Politics

Can a company be more powerful than a country? In this vide we examine the role of Multinational Corporations (MNCs) as major actors in global politics. With revenues larger than many nations' GDPs, corporations like Apple, Shell, and Pfizer don’t just shape markets—they shape policy, labor standards, human rights, and even global health outcomes. From controlling vast transnational supply chains to influencing international treaties and regulatory bodies, MNCs act as global gatekeepers. This video explores how corporate power works, the tools MNCs use to influence the global system, and the profound political consequences of private decisions made in boardrooms—not parliaments. We also consider various critiques from across IR theory—Liberalism, Marxism, and Constructivism—to ask: Who benefits from corporate power? Who pays the price? And how do we hold unelected global actors accountable in an era where private companies rival states in influence?