War And The Business Corporation

Abstract

This paper addresses the relationship between modern warfare and the business corporation. It reviews contemporary theories of war, emphasizing the potentially disorienting and disruptive influences of economic globalization. It then reconsiders the nature and purposes of the business corporation in light of the serious legal, political, and ethical issues posed by contemporary war. Far from an "end of history" in corporate law, contemplating the nature of war and its interactions with business corporations suggests that much work remains to be done to construct the institutional structures needed to achieve the elusive goal of global peace as well as economic prosperity.