Corporations as Bodies Politic: Legal Personhood & Societal Purpose

Abstract

This thesis examines contemporary conception of corporate purpose through a genealogical analysis of the ontological evolution of the corporation. To critically advance the understanding of historical conditions that have shaped the current conception of corporate purpose, this analysis delves into the inherent implications of these conditions, specifically how they foster instrumental purpose. The thesis reconceptualizes the corporation as an entity created by the state, to argue for a corporate ontology that instills intrinsic purpose into the corporate form.