Lord Chancellor Thurlow Quote

“Did you ever expect a corporation to have a conscience, when it has no soul to be damned, and nobody to be kicked?”

~ Lord Chancellor Thurlow

J. Poynder, Literary Extracts, (1844) Vol. 1, page 268.

Ratings and Comments


Mike, Norwalk

Said well. A corporation is neither good or bad but rather, a mere conceptual legalism. When one understands the legalism, it simply becomes a governmentally supported tool. A corporation is a bifurcation of titled position. The government that defines it holds equitable title, The stock, share, etc. holders hold lawful title. The equitable title holder gives the conceptual legalism life by defining and supporting it, ultimately owning all its worth / assets, and lending to it a shroud of limited liability - treating it as a separate legal person. Legal holders participate in day to day operations and profits.

Waffler, Smith

Thoughtful and insightful words.

J Carlton, Calgary

Corporations are psychopathic by nature. Having been mandated "by law" to make money they see all things as a spreadsheet of profits and losses with no "human" factor in the decision making process whatever. Worse, they have as their partners "by law" the government and its legislators as well as its lending institutions. The system is designed to generally bleed you dry. For an interesting look at this exact subject...check out the film documentary, "The Corporation".

Anonymous, Reston, VA

Yes, I do.

Ken, Allyn, WA

I don't expect governments to have a conscience either for the simple fact they're made up of politicians who practice pragmatism above justice. They are willing to compromise any principle for a vote, just like a board of directors so often are willing to compromise for the balance sheet and even sacrifice the long term well being of the company for the short term share price.

E Archer, NYC

Another reason people have rights and corporations do not. Corporations are governed by commercial law, also known as colorable law or statutory law. The Common Law jurisdiction is where cases regarding the violation of a person's rights are decided. Corporations are not 'persons' but now that the common law jusrisdiction is gone (thanks to FDR), corporations are 'persons,' and people are corporations. The law has been twisted into making us all commercial entities subject to the commercial jurisdiction. Criminal penalties could only be enforced in a common law jurisdiction not in the commercial jurisdiction which is based on speculation and contracts. The reason there is supposed to be a distinction between common law and commercial law is the quote above.

Lyn Cockburn, Willaston South Australia

He is my 4 great uncle,marvelous brilliant man.

Engin, Sakarya, Turkey

(Big) Corporations are the modern version of Leviathan

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