William Magnuson

Anyone who thinks that corporations and capitalism have only ruined the world should read this book. Likewise, anyone that thinks corporations and capitalism can do no wrong should read this book. This book is filled with brilliant insights into the what, why and how of corporations throughout history. The good, the bad, the ugly, and the yet to come. Highly recommended.

This book by William Magnuson is exceptional. Mr. Magnuson has accomplished something fabulous in this book by giving us a history of corporations via concepts - like 'the stock holding company,' 'the monopoly,' 'the raiders,' etc. He has taken a concept in every chapter and has illustrated the principle with a detailed case history of one company.
In doing so, he walked a fine line and delivered the contents without passing judgment. Too many people fall into this trap.

This book is show more essential reading for anyone interested in the history of the corporations, and wants to have an idea of what lies ahead. show less

An excellent history of the corporation. Magnuson reviews the ways in which corporations have evolved and then provides an analysis of the purpose of a corporation in the past, now, and in the future.

3.5 Decent. Nice overview of factors influencing the rise and powers of corporations through time. Conclusion section did a nice job of summarizing the whole book in short.