The Corporation and the State in Historical Political Economy

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the relationship between corporations and states from the appearance of the very first corporations in the late Middle Ages to the twentieth century. It identifies four types of relationships. The first views the corporation as one of the arms of the state. The second views the corporation as an organ that, from the outset, was independent of the state. The third relationship views the corporation as expecting the state to credibly commit not to expropriate the assets pooled together in the corporation. The fourth identifies that corporations need states to provide enforcement of contracts among corporate stakeholders. The chapter shows how these types of relationships developed historically, replaced and complemented each other, and played out against each other. The text asserts that tensions between states and corporations along these types of relationships still exist today.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationThe Oxford Handbook of Historical Political Economy
EditorsJeffery A Jenkins, Jared Rubin
Chapter32
Pages639-654
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Apr 2024

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