How corporations came to be viewed as "people"

[Dill]

(03-07-2018, 05:54 PM)mallorian69 Wrote: Well corporations can merge which is basically a marriage and they can spin off subsidiaries which are kinda like children. There are also companies that have taken over jobs that the military used to do for itself such as providing security and logistics so in a sense they do serve in the military. Just saying.

Still a metaphor though, right?  They can also "die" and be "born," but not with gender. And they can't vote as a person.   When people marry they are still legally two people with separate votes (at least in the U.S.).

And civilian contractors serve the military, but are not IN it. Corporations may "die," but for their country? Cover a grenade to save their buddies?

Another way to look at this--what can corporations do that people can't?--like exist primarily on a piece of paper, and in more than one country at the same time. They can also be legally "owned" and inherited.