Economic Torts and Interests

Abstract

This chapter is concerned with the history of a miscellany of wrongs best described as economic torts, and with related concepts. These involve various forms of interference (other than defamation) with a person’s trade or employment or with his other personal and contractual relationships. The areas focused on are monopolies, including patents for inventions, copyright, and the development of intellectual property, deceptive competition, inducing a breach of contract, interference with domestic relations (including per quod servicium amisit and criminal conversation), and interference with labour relations by means of intimidation and conspiracy. A recurrent theme is the extent to which motive, such as furthering an economic interest, may justify injuring another’s economic position, a matter which came to a head with the Trade Disputes Act 1906.