Artificial Quote by John Marshall
“A corporation is an artificial being, invisible, intangible, and existing only in contemplation of law.”
About This Quote
Source Legal Treatise: Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States, 1833
A corporation exists only as a legal construct, lacking physical form, recognized through law.
In simple terms: Corporations are legal fictions.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the legal basis of corporate power.
Themes
law
economics
society
Mood
analytical
critical
Type
theoretical
explanatory
When to use this quote
- business formation
- regulatory compliance
- shareholder meetings
- litigation
Key Concepts
legal personhood
jurisprudence
corporate governance
Questions to Reflect On
- How does legal personhood affect responsibility?
- What limits should law impose on corporations?
A Different Perspective
Legal entities can act beyond individual accountability.
![“[A corporation is] a collection of many individuals united into one body, under a special denomination, having perpetual succession under an artificial form, and vested, by policy of the law, with the capacity of acting, in several respects, as an individual.41 This legal fiction, recognizing “a…” quote by Jonathan Haidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e74/jonathan-haidt-1823_industrial-revolutio_a-corporation-is-a-collection-of-many-in_2256377.jpg)
