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Nick Robins
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The Corporation That Changed the World: How the East India Company Shaped the Modern Multinational Paperback – July 20, 2006

by Nick Robins (Author)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 42 ratings
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This is a popular history of one of the world's most famous companies. Founded in 1600, the East India Company was the forerunner of the modern multinational. Starting life as a trader in Asian spices, the Company ended its days running Britain's Indian empire. In the process, it shocked its contemporaries with the scale of its violence, corruption and speculation. This is the first-ever book to expose the Company's social record. Robins reveals a hidden story of tragedy and intrigue. War, famine, stock-market bubbles and even duels between rival executives are all to be found in this new account. For Robins, the Company's legacy provides compelling lessons on how to ensure the accountability of today's global business.
Previous page
  1. Print length
    240 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Pluto Press
  4. Publication date
    July 20, 2006
  5. Dimensions
    5.27 x 0.59 x 8.51 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    8125030220
  7. ISBN-13
    978-8125030225
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"A magnificent book about the father and mother of all companies. ... Everyone who studies corporate power and structure must read this well-written account." --Gordon Roddick, Chairman Emeritus of The Body Shop, co-founder of the Big Issue and Human Rights activist "A powerful analysis of the rise and fall of the British East India Company, a private company that conquered a subcontinent and subjugated an entire people." --Huw Bowen, Professor of Imperial and Maritime History at the University of Leicester "[This] will become a classic." --Simon Zadek, Chief Executive, AccountAbility "Elegantly written and sharply argued." --Sankar Muthu, Princeton University

About the Author

Nick Robins has more than 20 years experience in the policy and practical realities of corporate accountability. A historian by training, he currently works on sustainable and responsible investment in London, and has written on the East India Company for the Financial Times, New Statesman and Resurgence.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0745325238
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Pluto Press (July 20, 2006)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 8125030220
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-8125030225
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10.2 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.27 x 0.59 x 8.51 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 42 ratings

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Nick Robins

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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
42 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book
Reviewed in the United States on August 9, 2017
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Incredibly well written! Author did a great job putting all of this info together in a very readable way.
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Fernando Velez
4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
Reviewed in the United States on December 16, 2017
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Excellent piece of history from today's point of view.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on February 19, 2018
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My wife is thoroughly enjoying this book.
One person found this helpful
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Pat Dunphey
5.0 out of 5 stars NOW WE ARE HERE
Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2013
Reading this book has made it blindingly obvious to me that the nature of men has enabled the nature of man to evolve.
The EIC in my view created the environment for the Enlightenment to come about. The profits from the EIC allowed the West the time to think.
Western philosophy was built upon Eastern and Middle Eastern Philosophy and the Enlightenment occurred. This is something we can all be grateful for.
Without the EIC I doubt this would have happened. I stress this is history and not the way forward.
I would like to thank you Nick and look forward to joining in your walk.

Initially I gave four stars, which I class as excellent. I save five stars for books that will change the world. This book will most certainly change the minds of many Brits and those abroad who are not fully aware of this history.

Re corporate behaviour, it would be a waste of time and money to try and legislate against 'the invisible hand'. Having spent many years as an executive in an International Corporate Environment I have to say I do not recognise this psychopathic behaviour ( only slightly psychopathic!). Even the most fearsome SVP was a pussy cat deep down and always had the interest of the company at heart. I think having a few females around keeps men on their best behaviour and Vice Versa, although too many women would be a disaster (in a corporate environment). Both the males and the females need to be the strongest.

Females, not legislation will probably soften this corporate 'city' behaviour referred to in the book. Any company or country that does not allow equal opportunity to all, is like a plane trying to take off with just one engine running. It will just keep going round in circles/cycles. Another idea would be to make social responsibility an active part of the HR department with a representative on the board.

The behaviour of the EIC or it's shadow does not resemble my idea of globalisation. The great thing about us humans is that we are capable of learning from our mistakes.

Genetic Engineering - do we really want to be left with no one to defend us if aliens invade? Redirection not re-engineering is what is required. We need to change the value of money and what it is used for, not the fighting value of the human spirit. We still need it.

Perhaps one small step in atonement could be to surround Clive's statue in the bars of an iron cell, rather than hiding it away in a museum.
2 people found this helpful
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Ismael Olea
3.0 out of 5 stars Good history book but...
Reviewed in the United States on January 3, 2008
If you are interested on knowing how evil a big corporation can be this is a great reading. It can impress more when you fully realize all of that was before the XX century. It address some of the most important issues a corp got evil. Sadly I don't think the book's conclusions on proposals of social responsability could fix the problem of the perverse corporation behaviour. Another organizational tool is needed but is not addressed in the book.
7 people found this helpful
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H. Schneider
5.0 out of 5 stars That worst of plagues, the detested tea
Reviewed in the United States on August 11, 2011
For all of you who think along tea party lines and dream of small government: this book shows you where to go! Outsource government! Give it to the good great corporations! You have already done some testing with privatizing warfare and granting monopolies to friendly suppliers. That's the way to go, people! No more taxes! No more annoying elections! Vivat private enrichment and efficiency! Down with accountability!

The importance of the English East India Company (let's call it EIC) as an agent of political, economical, and social history can hardly be exaggerated. And yet, the author of this interesting book claims that EIC is surprisingly absent in England's historical monuments. There are few traces of EIC in London, says Robins. That surprised me, because I have met EIC whenever I read anything about English or Asian history, be it fictional or non-fictional.
This book by a London City insider of the financial world is the first monograph that I have read on EIC. In his real life, Robins is `running socially responsible investment funds'. Let's assume that is all ok as it is. I am also not going to discuss Robins' recipes for responsible corporations. That is not my focus in this review. (I found that chances to be read here shrink with the length of a review.)

This `mother of the modern corporation' had a profitable life span from 1600 to 1874. It was started under Queen Bess and shut down under Queen Vicky. It had a monopoly over English trade with Asia. It ran large parts of India as if it were a government. It changed global consumption patterns drastically. It introduced tea (and other things, like shampoo) in England and expanded opium in China. It waged wars and occupied or bought land and cities. It started the Opium Wars in China when the government of that place dared to resist proper marketing strategies.
EIC had outlived its time after the events in India that we colonialists like to call the Mutiny, and which Indians call the First War of Independence. The traumatic effect of EIC misrule over India can still be seen in modern days: India's gradual opening to foreign investment and liberalization over the last decade has been heavily debated, and many critical voices go back to the EIC times. Unfortunately some more modern corporate exploits in India (think of Enron or UCC) have not helped the mood.
Robins gives us some interesting contemporary criticisms of EIC. Not only Karl Marx attacked EIC, but so did Adam Smith (EIC was the enemy of the open market) and Edmund Burke (EIC was a revolutionary threat to established order).
The book should be a must for anybody interested in the history of Europe, Asia, America, capitalism, and the corporation.
5 people found this helpful
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Leclerc (Houston)
4.0 out of 5 stars Business by force.
Reviewed in the United States on January 3, 2007
Verified Purchase
Very well written, which is a rare accomplishment on somewhat dry topics. Brings forward or reminds the reader that graft and corruption is not new to modern business and government. A company that conquered a nation literally and with its private army. A good read.
13 people found this helpful
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Damocles
5.0 out of 5 stars Read this book if you are even remotely interested in the subject
Reviewed in the United States on March 9, 2014
It's difficult to convey my feeling about this book anymore bluntly than the subject line. If you are even remotely interested in the East India Company, the nature of 17th-18th century economics, the history of how corporations came to resemble their modern form, while at the same time getting a feel for the human elements of these early-modern business swashbucklers...this book is essential.

Nick Robins make the subject exciting, weaving together many threads, in what might be the most complete and reasoned package on an otherwise complex subject, since Jared Diamonds wrote Guns, Germs and Steel.

It's concise, clear and evocative. There's not a boring or wasted page in the book, and that's an almost unbelievable accomplishment with subjects of this nature.
5 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

l.anand
5.0 out of 5 stars GOOD
Reviewed in India on October 4, 2015
Verified Purchase
GOOD BOOK. RELEVANT EVEN IN PRESENT WORLD

WHEN YOU PONDER DEEPLY ON THE BOOK.

AMERICANS WORSHIP BUSINESS AS JOB PROVIDERS.

NEVERTHELESS, AMERICAN BUSINESS LEADERS FROM

GREAT AMERICAN UNIVERSITIES MOVED JOBS OUTSIDE AMERICA

NOT IN THE LEAST MINDING THE SHOUTS OF THEIR OWN PEOPLE.

WHAT POWER DID AMERICAN BUSINESS AND AMERICA GAIN BY IT?

IF TRUTH BE TOLD, ALL POLITICAL LEADERS LICK AMERICAN PRESIDENT'S FEET

AND FEAR INDOMITABLE GREAT AMERICAN MILITARY THAT HAS FULL CONTROL

OF WHOLE WORLD. INFACT COMPETITION AMONGST

WORLD LEADERS TO PLEASE AMERICA

IS MORE THAN THE COMPETITION

FOR SWEETS AMONGST BABIES & KIDS IN KINDERGARTEN.

SIMILARLY, AFTER MOVING JOBS OUTSIDE AMERICA,

EVERY TOP BUSINESS IN THE WORLD NOW

LICK AMERICAN BUSINESS LEADER'S FEET.

A POPULAR WEB ARTICLE YEARS BACK DESCRIBED PESSIMISTICALLY THAT AFTER

DESTROYING SWEET AMERICAN HOMES, AMERICAN BUSINESS EXECUTIVES AND

AMERICAN BUSINESS GIANTS BUY PROPERTY IN GULF DESERTS

WHERE THEY CAN COOK OMELETTE WITHOUT STOVE.

YOU WONT AGREE WITH THAT LADY IF YOU READ THIS BOOK AND

UNDERSTAND POWER OF DOLLAR AND AMERICAN BUSINESSES NOW.

HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? WHAT IS THE GLOBAL BUSINESS POWER EXERTED

BY DOLLAR? WONDERING WHY EVEN WHEN PRICE OF CRUDE DWINDLES,

PRICE OF AMERICAN DOLLAR INCREASES ALWAYS BUT COUNTRIES THAT

PRODUCE AND SUPPLY GOODS TO THE WORLD HAVE RELATIVELY

LOW CURRENCY VALUES WHICH ALWAYS DECREASES WITH EVERY YEAR?

WHAT MAKES EVERY POLITICAL LEADER AND BUSINESS HOUSE

LICK AMERICAN POWER WITHOUT HESITATIONS AND WORSHIP AMERICA?

ALL THESE ANSWERED

IF YOU READ THIS BOOK AND RELATE TO PRESENT WORLD.

ONE CANNOT HELP BUT BE AWESTRUCK BY

GREAT PLANS OF GREAT AMERICAN UNIVERSITIES, GREAT AMERICAN LEADERS

AND GREAT AMERICAN BUSINESSES.
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Ged
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 2, 2013
Verified Purchase
Exactly as recommended - a fascinating read and beautifully written. The concise style means a lot of information is packed into a short tome. Very informative.
2 people found this helpful
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Lachteufel
5.0 out of 5 stars A fascinating view upon history and the birth of the modern multinational corporation
Reviewed in Germany on December 9, 2011
Verified Purchase
Beside of many historical facts I really appreciated the authors way to link the historical event to the philosophers of its time and political decision makers. A book to enjoy and a book to learn, and of course looking at the financial crisis of today you will discover that many of its causes were invented 300 years ago: the ruthless manager in a limited corporation acting for his own wellbeing only. It was surprising to discoveer that what was considered to be a fraud 300 years ago has become legal and an institution today. Regulations grew but the outcome is much worse.
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Bipul Gohain
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in India on August 26, 2017
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very rich in information
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Jezza
4.0 out of 5 stars A thoughtful and illuminating book about the MNC of the C17-19
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 13, 2010
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The East India Company, in its various incarnations, was a central part of English capitalism as it emerged. Although we tend to think about capitalism as intrinsically bound up with the industrial revolution and the factory system, the trading companies were actually much more important in the creation of the commercial and financial institutions the characterise capitalism in England. The author provides a really strong account of what the EIC did, but maintains a strong critical perspective. He's clearly no socialist - he believes that corporations can and should be reformed and regulated into ethicality - but he has a really good understanding of the internal and external dynamics that affected both the EIC and corporations generally.

One small whinge; I'm a relatively well educated person with a good knowledge of British history, but I still don't know the basic narrative of the EIC. I think the author more or less assumes that readers will know this, and he writes as if much of the chonology is familiar to his audience, even though it's clearly a book for the general reader. A timetable and an introductory chapter might have helped in this respect.

Still, a wonderful book that deserves to be widely read.
23 people found this helpful
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