The Corporation(2003) ●

In the mid-19th century, the corporation was a relatively insignificant entity; today, it is the world’s dominant institution, possessing rights and influence once reserved for the Church or the State. (2003) investigates this evolution, specifically how the legal designation of a corporation as a "person" under the 14th Amendment has created a powerful entity that operates without a moral conscience. II. The Corporation as a "Legal Person"

Applying the World Health Organization’s diagnostic criteria for personality disorders, the documentary argues that if the corporation were a real person, it would be classified as a psychopath . The Corporation(2003)

The film identifies several psychopathic traits in corporate behavior, including a callous unconcern for the feelings of others, an incapacity to experience guilt, and a failure to conform to social norms. III. Externalities and Social Injustice In the mid-19th century, the corporation was a

The film’s central premise is the irony of corporate personhood. While the law grants corporations the same rights as human beings, their "personality" is defined by a singular, legally mandated mission: the pursuit of economic self-interest regardless of the consequences. The Corporation as a "Legal Person" Applying the

The documentary uses the term "externalities" to describe the costs—environmental, social, or health-related—that a corporation shifts onto society to maximize its own profit.

This paper analyzes the 2003 documentary , written by Joel Bakan and directed by Mark Achbar and Jennifer Abbott. The film explores the rise of the modern corporation as a dominant social institution and critiques its legally defined nature, which prioritizes profit above all else. The Psychopathology of the Modern Corporation I. Introduction