Journal of Critical Realism in Socio-Economics (JOCRISE)

Psychopathic Capture within Financial Capitalism: Albert Dunlap, Scott Paper, and Sunbeam Corporation

Clive Boddy — 2025-04-30

This paper aims to explore the concept of ‘psychopathic capture’ within shareholder capitalism by examining the rise and fall of Albert Dunlap, one of the most self-congratulatory and media-applauded heroes of 20th-century capitalism. A historical analysis via a literature review of academic commentary on Albert Dunlap was undertaken. Additionally, Dunlap’s writings, press coverage, and reports from journalists who interviewed Dunlap was examined. The findings of this research: Dunlap’s tenure as CEO at Scott Paper and then Sunbeam Corporation saw him actively decreasing and eliminating the means of production by closing factories and making thousands of people redundant across the USA and elsewhere. Rather than building long-term capital, he destroyed it and was praised to the point of hero worship by the financial sector and rewarded for his destructiveness. This current paper demonstrates that ‘psychopathic capture’ exists within capitalism. Dunlap was psychopathic in his attitudes and behavior, and he captured (took over) the leadership of Sunbeam Corporation for at least two years. The results were psychopathic in that wealth was destroyed; employees were ruthlessly devalued, abused, and bullied, careers were ended, and shareholders were eventually impoverished. This is the first paper to specifically examine Priels’ idea of ‘psychopathic capture’ in relation to a detailed example from organizational history.

The Dual Mandate: Profit And Public Good In Pharmaceutical Corporations : A Critical Realist Perspective

Mukhtar Ahmed — 2025-04-30

This study explores the enduring conflict between profit motives and public health responsibilities in pharmaceutical corporations through a critical realist lens. It aims to reveal how corporate behaviors, such as pricing strategies and CSR initiatives are not random but deeply shaped by systemic capitalist structures and regulatory frameworks. Utilizing critical realism’s layered ontology (empirical, actual, and real), the analysis highlights how surface practices are driven by underlying economic imperatives, investor pressures, and intellectual property regimes. Case studies on insulin pricing and COVID-19 vaccine access demonstrate the challenges corporations face in balancing innovation with equitable healthcare delivery. Findings indicate that although some firms attempt to align business goals with societal needs, the dominant structures favor short-term profitability over long-term public benefit. The research argues that incremental reforms are insufficient and recommends systemic strategies, including patent law revisions, alternative financing mechanisms, and the incorporation of social impact metrics in corporate evaluations. By addressing root causes rather than symptoms, pharmaceutical corporations can better fulfill their dual mandate, ensuring both sustainable innovation and broader healthcare equity. A critical realist perspective thus provides a deeper understanding of why tensions persist and how more transformative changes can be achieved

The Financial Architecture of Systemic Ecocide and Genocide: Investigating Systemic Criminality and Institutional Failure in Flanders

Koenraad Priels — 2025-04-30

The global financial architecture proves to be a fundamental systemic driver of the currently escalating planetary polycrisis, causing enormous systemic risk by financial instability, economical inefficiency, increasing social inequalities, ecological overshoot and geopolitical tensions. This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of systemic criminality and institutional failure in Flanders, focusing on the global banking system's role in perpetuating systemic ecocide and genocide. Drawing on empirical evidence from Werner's research on bank money creation, Gauvin & Dominguez's mathematical demonstration of monetary system instability and documented regulatory failures, we expose a pattern of institutional protection mechanisms in Flemish regulatory bodies and academic institutions. The paper culminates in a groundbreaking legal complaint filed with the Belgian Public Prosecutor, invoking the new Belgian Ecocide Law to challenge the current financial system's legality. This research demonstrates how Flemish institutions actively perpetuate a criminal system that generates approximately €15 trillion in annual interest payments globally, forcing 3.3 billion people to live in countries spending more on interest than education.

Islamic Communication: A Critical Realist Perspective

Muhammad Taqiyuddin — 2025-04-30

In this paper, I explore Islamic communication through a critical realist lens, aiming to enhance the understanding of its principles and applications in contemporary society. The research addresses how critical realism can be utilized to tackle modern challenges in Islamic communication, focusing on three key areas: the conceptualization of Islamic communication within critical realism, the practical implications for contemporary media, and the strategies for addressing intercultural communication challenges. Employing a qualitative methodology that includes theoretical analysis and case studies, I identify significant gaps in the existing literature and propose solutions to bridge these gaps. My findings reveal that integrating critical realism into Islamic communication theory enriches its framework, facilitates the development of practical media applications, and offers valuable strategies for enhancing intercultural communication. This study contributes to a more nuanced understanding of Islamic communication and suggests avenues for future research.