Introduction 1. The legal framework Part I. Before 1720: 2. The pre-1720 business corporation 3. The Bubble Act, its passage and its effects Part II. 1721-1810: 4. Two distinct paths of organizational development: transport and insurance 5. The joint-stock business corporation 6. Trusts, partnerships, and the unincorporated company 7. The progress of the joint-stock organization Part III. 1800-44: 8. The attitudes of the business community 9. The joint-stock company in court 10. The joint-stock company in parliament.