Creating Capitalism: Joint-Stock Enterprise in British Politics and Culture, 1800-1870

摘要: Winner of the Economic History Society's Best First Monograph award 2009 The emergence joint-stock company in nineteenth-century Britain was a culture shock for many Victorians. Though home industrial revolution, nation's economy dominated by private partnership, seen as most efficient well ethical form business organisation. large, impersonal and rampant speculation it thought to encourage were viewed with suspicion downright hostility. This book argues that existing historiography understates society's resistance enterprise; employs an eclectic range sources, from newspapers parliamentary papers cartoons, novels plays, unearth this forgotten economic debate. It explores how legal system gradually restructured facilitate enterprise, process culminating limited liability legislation mid-1850s. has typically been interpreted evidence new, positive attitudes growth, but demonstrates traditional outlooks continued influence legislation, way which reforms driven political agendas. shows debates on are strikingly relevant current questions over ethics multinational corporations. James Taylor is Senior Lecturer British at Lancaster University.