The Corporation: The Pathological Pursuit Of Pr... Today

The central argument of both the book and film is that the modern corporation is a . Bakan, a law professor, argues that because corporations are legally mandated to prioritize shareholder profit above all else, they mirror the clinical traits of a psychopath :

An inability to experience remorse for harmful social or environmental consequences.

is a critical examination of the modern business corporation, presented as both a 2004 book by Joel Bakan and a 2003 award-winning documentary. Core Premise: The Corporate "Psychopath" The Corporation: The Pathological Pursuit of Pr...

A consistent failure to consider the feelings or safety of others.

A tendency to disregard social norms and laws if the cost of the fine is lower than the potential profit. Key Themes The central argument of both the book and

Repeated lying or conning of others for profit.

The "pathological" nature of corporations leads them to offload costs (like pollution or poor labor conditions) onto society, a process economists call "externalities". The "pathological" nature of corporations leads them to

Over the last 150 years, the corporation has moved from a limited-use legal tool to the world's dominant economic and social institution. The Documentary (2003)