Full Description
Major enterprises shape our lives in countless ways: big tech and 'surveillance media' that affect democratic debate, algorithms that influence online shopping, transport to work and home, energy and agriculture corporations that drive climate damage, and public services that provide our education, health, water, and housing. The twentieth century experienced swings between private and public ownership, between capitalism and socialism, without any settled, principled outcome, and without settling major questions of how enterprises should be financed, governed and the rights we have in them. This book's main question is 'are there principles of enterprise law', and, if they are missing, 'what principles of enterprise law should there be'? Principles of Enterprise Law gives a functional account of the 'general' enterprise laws of companies, investment, labour, competition and insolvency, before moving into specific enterprises, from universities to the military. It is an original guide to our economic constitution and human rights.
Contents
Introduction: what is enterprise law? Part I. History and Theory: 1. History: state and corporate power; 2. Modern theory; Part II. General Enterprise Law: 3. Corporate constitutions and directors; 4. Investment and shareholding; 5. Labour rights; 6. Competition and consumers; 7. Insolvency and creditors; Part III. Specific Enterprises: 8. Education; 9. Health and care; 10. Banking; 11. Natural resources; 12. Energy; 13. Food and water; 14. Housing and construction; 15. Road and rail transport; 16. Communications; 17. Web and broadcast media; 18. Marketplaces; 19. Military and security; Part IV. Policy: 20. Fiscal and social policy; Conclusion: the future of enterprise.