One reality is companies are amoral, all we require of them is that they follow laws while pursuing more wealth accumulation for their owners. They are not obligated to defend democracy. But their very existence does come from law, without law, they don't exist.<p>Another reality is that all western democracies, at least ideologically and a few do so on paper, put democracy before capitalism. In the U.S. the constitution describes rights and powers of people, states and federal government, yet it says absolutely nothing about economic system.<p>Are company's motives in conflict with government and by extension people? Yes. Is that bad? Nope. The conflict should exist. I think it's worse when companies and governments get along well, historically they end up conspiring against the people.<p>There is such a thing as market failure and governments unquestionably will legislate alternative outcomes to markets when the market outcome makes enough people angry. It's just how it works. When there's market and government exploitation of people, it's a recipe for a bad economy at best and violence at worst.