

321. William Magnuson — For Profit: A History of Corporations
Feb 4, 2023
This podcast explores the history of corporations and their impact on society, from ancient Rome to the modern day. Topics include the role of corporations in completing expensive projects, discrimination in financial industries, the impact of Henry Ford on car manufacturing, the power of oil companies and the need for government regulation, the fragility of Twitter's monopoly, risks and downsides of private equity firms, the purpose of bankruptcy, 'too big to fail' companies, the efficiency of corporations and its impact on consumer behavior, the impact of the Civil War on slavery, and concerns about AI technology and automation.
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Introduction
00:00 • 2min
Historical Origins of Corporations
02:06 • 18min
Exploring Business Structures: Corporations and LLCs
19:42 • 4min
Henry Ford's Impact on Car Manufacturing and Worker Welfare
23:41 • 17min
The Power and Influence of Oil Companies
40:32 • 17min
The Fragility of Twitter and the Potential for Decline
57:13 • 4min
Private Equity Firms: Risks, Debt, and Downsides
01:00:53 • 7min
Junk Bonds, the Case of Milcom, and the Purpose of Bankruptcy
01:08:18 • 3min
The Concept of 'Too Big to Fail'
01:11:46 • 13min
The Efficiency and Downsides of Corporations
01:24:22 • 1min
The Impact of the Civil War on Slavery
01:25:51 • 10min