The first step is to recognize that business runs America and you are not going to do anything about that. But, you can tame business from its natural tendency to sacrifice the public interest for profit. The way to do this is by using your power base.

As an employee, be ready to influence your company to do good. See Chapter 10 in How You Can Help.

Also, read about Alice Tepper Marlin who started the Council on Economic Priorities (whose name recently changed to Center for Responsibility in Business).

Weeden, Curt. Corporate Social Investing: The Breakthrough Strategy for Giving and Getting Corporate Contributions. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc., 1998. This book tells corporate America why having a heart is very important to the future of their company. In doing so, it shows the power of business to do good.