A unique history of Britain's most influential invention - from the East India Company to Enron

The present day might be called a corporate age but the power of the company is nothing new: From Renaissance Italy to the British East India Company, it is impossible to understand the history of the last few hundred years without placing the humble company at the centre of the picture. What other institution could have produced the slave trade, opium wars, the stock market and the British Empire, the 'company man' and globalization?

The history of the company includes some shocking tales, since companies have always rewarded some of the most greedy and unscrupulous - but they have also undoubtedly shaped the modern world. Today companies are increasingly regulated, but will there always be a new South Sea Bubble or another Enron? The authors extend their historical account to look at the company's future, which is, surprisingly, as smaller and more diverse. They explode the myth of a 'silent takeover' by corporations and challenge the assumptions of the anti-globalization movement, but make the ongoing power of the company abundantly clear.

A unique history of Britain's most influential invention - from the East India Company to Enron

About the Author
John Micklethwait directs coverage of the United States for The Economist. He lives in London. Adrian Wooldridge works for The Economist in Washington, D.C. They are the co-authors of THE WITCH DOCTORS and A FUTURE PERFECT.


Book Information
ISBN 9780753820407
Author John Micklethwait
Format Paperback
Page Count 224
Imprint Weidenfeld & Nicolson
Publisher Orion Publishing Co
Weight(grams) 201g
Dimensions(mm) 199mm * 162mm * 18mm