The OpenSecrets profile reveals significant lobbying efforts by Allergan, indicative of active engagement in influencing political processes. Such activities can undermine democratic accountability by privileging corporate interests, thereby playing into authoritarian models where power is concentrated away from the public. This raises concerns from an anti-fascist perspective as the use of lobbying to facilitate policy favorable to corporate gains can indirectly support authoritarian practices.

Allergan plc Lobbying Profile • OpenSecrets

The article explains the concept of regulatory capture, illustrating how industry ties can subvert regulatory agencies. This reflection is pertinent to Allergan plc, a global pharmaceutical company that has historically engaged in lobbying, thereby potentially contributing to systemic regulatory failures and aligning with authoritarian economic practices.

Understanding Regulatory Capture: Implications for Law and Policy

The proposed merger would have led to a near-monopoly in the market for treatments of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, with Allergan and AbbVie controlling an estimated 95% of the market. This concentration of economic power raises issues of economic collaboration and potential regulatory capture, actions that can undermine democratic market forces and consumer welfare.

FTC Imposes Conditions on AbbVie Inc.'s Acquisition of Allergan plc

The proposed merger signals a consolidation of market power that could disrupt economic structures by creating a dominant entity in the pharmaceutical sector. This economic influence is seen as problematic by protesters, as it may further entrench corporate power at the expense of competitive, consumer-friendly market dynamics.

Consumer Groups, Unions Petition to Block Merger of Allergan and AbbVie

The merger presents significant concerns from an economic and structural perspective. Consolidating Allergan with AbbVie would further entrench market dominance, enabling the combined entity to leverage rebate walls and other exclusionary practices to fend off competition. These actions pose risks to market fairness and consumer choice, underpinning a strategy that favors corporate consolidation over innovative and competitive practices.

Coalition of Unions and Consumer Groups Oppose AbbVie/Allergan Merger Based on Use of Rebate Walls

The massive layoffs by Allergan plc, which will impact over 1,000 employees, indicate a disregard for secure and fair labor practices. While restructuring for cost-cutting might be seen as a business tactic, from an anti-fascist perspective such measures contribute to broader economic insecurity and exploitation. In environments where workers are treated as expendable, the conditions can foster social and economic vulnerabilities that authoritarian regimes may exploit.

Allergan plc (AGN) Layoffs: Company Plans 1,000+ Job Cuts - Yahoo Finance

The updated disclosure on lobbying activities is viewed positively as it demonstrates Allergan's move towards greater transparency in its political contributions and lobbying efforts. This step can serve to mitigate potential complicity in undemocratic practices by revealing the extent of its political spending. Shareholders and advocacy groups, including the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, welcomed the move, seeing it as a means to hold the company more accountable to democratic norms.

Allergan Shareholders Welcome New Disclosures on Lobbying Activities

The new disclosure policy on lobbying activities reflects a positive shift towards increased corporate transparency in political contributions. By detailing its state and local spending and involvement in trade associations, Allergan addresses investor concerns and thereby reduces potential complicity in opaque political funding. This action is viewed positively from an anti-authoritarian perspective, as it enables public scrutiny and accountability in political influence.

Allergan Shareholders Welcome New Disclosures on Lobbying and Political Activities