Why do we tolerate turning over our democratic rights to corporations?

[white_wolf]

I really don't understand why we tolerate corporations to exist. In a free society should we really be forced to turn over our rights to free speech just so we can have a job? I don't think so, but it happens all the time. If you say the wrong thing at work you can be fired. The modern corporation is the most anti-democratic institution there is. It is closest in structure to a medieval kingdom. You have the king(CEO) and his council of nobles(Board members) on top, and below them you have the serfs(workers) who really have no rights within in this institution. They exist only to make profits for the company and if they dare speak out against the business they are fired.

To me there is nothing more than a form of coercion and an assault on democratic rights. The libertarians may say it's not coercion since you can always quit, but if you quit you have no means to provide your family with food,shelter, or medical care. To my mind being forced to work under threat of starvation is no better than being forced to work under threat of getting shot, both are forms of slavery.