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. The Corporation: The Pathological Pursuit of Pr...

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

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) Key Themes Over the last 150 years, the

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

Directed by and Jennifer Abbott , the film brings Bakan’s legal theories to life through a series of vignettes and high-profile interviews: (PDF) Collective Agents as Moral Actors - ResearchGate

The law requires corporate directors to act in the best interest of the corporation, which is almost always defined as maximizing short-term wealth for shareholders. This makes genuine "corporate social responsibility" technically illegal if it doesn't serve the bottom line.