Social History of Company Law

Professor Rob McQueen is based in School of Law at Griffith University, Australia.

• Contents: Introduction; Social attitudes to company law: 1720-1855; Christian Socialism and the debate on limited liability; The reasons for the enactment of, and the form taken by, English limited liability legislation,1855-1856; The first 15 years of limited liability company legislation in England 1855-1870; The 1870s and early 1880s: the growing acceptability of limited liability incorporation; The consolidation of company law 1886-1914; Limited liability company legislation in the colonies: the Australian experience 1864-1920; Conclusions; Appendix; Bibliography; Index.

'McQueen's timely book fills a gap in the literature by covering a period that was not studied comprehensively in recent decades. Its social history approach, particularly apt in the current period of corporate governance crisis, places company law in a thicker context. The book extends beyond Britain into its Empire and thus should interest a wider circle of scholars.' Ron Harris, Tel Aviv University, Israel 'This is a carefully argued and richly detailed piece of corporate law and legal history scholarship which should become a standard reference. It underlines the vital importance of understanding history for anyone who wishes to be truly engaged in current debates about the regulation, governance and social responsibility of corporations. ' Stephen Bottomley, ANU College of Law, Australia 'Rob McQueen reveals the modern corporate form as an embodiment of narrow interests and values; a product of political and ideological choices. Brilliant, thoroughly researched and elegantly written, A Social History of Company Law not only demonstrates the origins of the corporation, but also inspires the question - how might it be remade into something different?' Joel Bakan, University of British Columbia, Canada 'This path-breaking study provides a fascinating comparative social history of company law in Britain and the Australian Colonies, their relationship to colonialism, empire building and imperialism, and their larger socio-economic significance. McQueen effectively mines the archives and secondary literature to advance our understanding of the institutional legacies of the past and to offer a nuanced account of how the history of company law in Britain and the Australian Colonies laid the foundation for similar but divergent patterns of contemporary corporate governance. The book is clear and accessible, and will be of interest to students and scholars in Law and History, and to those concerned with the interplay between law and society.' David Sugarman, University of Lancaster, UK 'McQueen's book will be of interest to a wide audience. It should be particularly fascinating to all who seek to better understand the political and ideological viewpoints that have shaped contemporary assumptions about how companies should be regulated, as well as those with an interest in corporate responsibility and regulatory intervention in commerce.' Law Society Journal 'This interesting work traces the beginning and early development of the modern Australian and British scheme of formation and administration of limited liability corporations.' Australian Law Journal 'Rob McQueen's history of English Company Law sheds new light on that nation's shift from having the most restrictive laws in Europe regarding company information in the eighteenth century to having the most permissive in the nineteenth. The great strength of his study is its immersion in contemporary debates regarding laissez-faire, corporate responsibility, and state regulation of business. The book is well grounded in a vast array of primary sources: company records, parliamentary hearings and reports, court cases, and newspapers and periodicals. A true social history, the book situates company law within the broader context of cultural attitudes toward business, the behavior of investors, and the actual practices of businesspeople and corporations.' Journal of Law and History Review