Modern chambers of commerce need more fire in the belly in their relationships with government

Professor Bob Bennett traces the history of chambers of commerce from their inception in the 18th century to the present day. What started as a movement seeking concessions from the elite has morphed into an institution closely partnered with government. While modern chambers of commerce have lost much of the spirit with which they were founded, they still serve an important role. He finds that the cost of partnering has tempered their impact and that chambers of commerce should be reinvigorated by taking a more adversarial position towards government.