Description
Book SynopsisFocuses on political, social, and institutional processes governed by the dynamics of power. The author shows how the corporation started as a quasi-public device used by governments to create and administer public services like turnpikes and canals. He conducts a historical inquiry into the rise of the large publicly traded American corporation.
Trade ReviewOne of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 1997 "Socializing Capital is a shining example of the 'new economic sociology.' Roy's question is bold because it challenges the economic orthodoxy that the modern corporation arose because of its efficiency. His answer is creative because it weaves together insights from power and institutional perspectives to revise the history of the modern corporation."--Frank Dobbin, Contemporary Sociology "William G. Roy's ambitious book about the ascendancy of the large industrial corporation in the United States sheds new light on a complex and timely subject... Socializing Capital is a significant scholarly work, rich in detail, that makes important contributions to the historical study of corporate power."--Scott R. Bowman, American Journal of Sociology "Richly detailed, this book builds on the significant work of historians, economists, and social scientists who have dominated the field of business history for a generation or more. It is a major contribution... "--Choice
Table of ContentsList of FiguresList of TablesPrefaceCh. 1Introduction3Ch. 2A Quantitative Test of Efficiency Theory21Ch. 3The Corporation as Public and Private Enterprise41Ch. 4Railroads: The Corporation's Institutional Wellspring78Ch. 5Auxiliary Institutions: The Stock Market, Investment Banking, and Brokers115Ch. 6Statutory Corporate Law, 1880-1913144Ch. 7Prelude to a Revolution176Ch. 8American Industry Incorporates221Ch. 9Conclusion: A Political Sociology of the Large Corporation259Notes287References301Index319
