The Role of Villages in the Development of Corporate Groups

Villages became corporate bodies, collective groups that like modern corporations had to be treated as if they were individuals for purposes of law. Unlike ordinary individuals, villages could back up their claims with force. As douglas emphasizes, this was crucial because ordinary laylay men were simply not able to do this to one another. In everyday affairs, layley put great stock on gentle and agreeable behaviour. Here and only here did organized violence enter the picture.