Research Handbook on the History of Corporate and Company Law

Today, the corporation plays a dominant role in economics, politics, and societies across the globe. Understanding the corporation means understanding its legal framework but until recently, the origins and evolution of corporate law have received relatively little attention. This Handbook sheds new light on the historical development of both the corporation and business organization law.This extensive collection brings together contributions from an array of international academics to provide the first wide-ranging history of the laws of corporations and business organizations from ancient to modern times. The contributors offer a global exploration of the development of corporation and company law, moving beyond the United States and Western Europe to present studies in Mexico, India and China, as well as addressing the trajectory of scholarly debate. Not only do the contributions examine the growth of the law of public corporation, they also address the development of laws governing other business forms.This Handbook will prove an invaluable resource for corporation law and business scholars, as well as business and legal historians and economists.Contributors include: B. Aronson, A. Aviram, W. Bratton, G. Del Angel, M. Gelter, A. Gomez-Galvarriato, Y. González de Lara, T.W. Guinnane, R. Harris, L. Johnson, V. Khanna, T. Kuntz, S. Martínez-Rodríguez, D.T. Mitchell, M.T. Moore, J. Rochat, J. Rubin, T. Ruskola, G. Sandrelli, F.L. Stewart, J.D. Turner, U. Varottil, M. Ventoruzzo, M. Wachter, H. Wells, R.E. Wright

‘If you are a business historian, you should read this book, regardless of the historical period or industry you study. Whether your research is on firms that are called Ltd or Inc or S.A. or GmbH, you will find this Research Handbook to be an extremely useful introduction to the world of corporate governance theory. This book will be particularly important to business historians interested in transnational and comparative historical topics.’, 'For anyone interested in the modern corporation this book is invaluable, a real treasure trove. With an admirable breadth and depth of scholarship, it fills a notable gap in the literature on a fundamental aspect of the corporate form. Thoroughly recommended for both scholars and students.' --Nicholas H.D. Foster, SOAS University of London, UK, 'Historical analysis of corporate law has become something of growth industry lately. The Research Handbook on the History of Corporate and Company Law will no doubt move quickly to the forefront of this burgeoning literature. The essays, each impressive individually, combine to provide a volume that is strikingly wide-ranging, both in terms of the eras covered and the jurisdictions canvassed.' --Brian R. Cheffins, University of Cambridge, UK, ‘The Research Handbook on the History of Corporate and Company Law is especially recommended to faculty and students of graduate programs in business and law. Law libraries and academic libraries should consider purchasing this research handbook.'

Edited by Harwell Wells, I. Herman Stern Professor of Law,Temple University, James E. Beasley School of Law, US