Sometimes, the underdog is the bad guy. I know, I know this is anathema to American sentiments. But sometimes, every now and then, the little guy is the greater of two evils who deserves what the Big Bad Tough dishes out.

So, let’s talk about Hachette v. Amazon.

It seems these days like Amazon is the tall poppy everyone is eager to take a whack at. And, I’m no fan of the near-monopoly power enjoyed by giants like Amazon, Walmart, Google, etc. in a what should be a merit-rewarding, competitive market economy. Amazon’s god-like reach is indisputably problematic.

But, there’s something to be said about the indispensable power of sheer power to sweep out poor practices.

Consider the latest uproar over Amazon’s offer—widely dismissed as a PR stunt—to give Hachette authors 100 percent of ebook sales until the current pricing dispute is settled. Actually, don’t consider the uproar or the offer. Consider instead the allegations of bumbling and stalling that Amazon has levied against Hachette, and Hachette’s ironically confessional reaction to them. Continue reading →