Empire, Incorporated by Philip J. Stern
7.5 out of 10Empire building is a fiercely competitive endeavor among rival nations, within industries, between people, and everywhere around businesses. With heavy lifting from private joint-stock companies, the British Empire became the largest the world has ever seen. Legally established groups [Royal Africa, East India, Hudson's Bay, Virginia, Plymouth, De Beers, and hundreds more] sprawled around the earth to set up trade posts, plantations, mines, railroads, communication networks, financial institutions, and other enterprises. Some companies would create private armies, topple existing governments, raid ships, collect tribute, enslave populations, set up prison colonies, and extract massive amounts of resources. The Crown did its job to protect physical and intellectual property. It also granted charters, became partners, or offered bailouts when politically advantageous. After decolonization, many British corporations positioned themselves as important players in the global economy.