Katharina Pistor

A fascinating study of the legal underpinnings of capitalism, reasons why the system must be transformed, and actions we can take. Even though capitalism has been conventionally described as an economic system, it is actually a deeply entrenched legal regime. Law provides the material for coding simple objects, promises, and ideas as capital assets. It also provides the means for...

What is it that transforms a simple object, an idea, or a promise to pay into an asset that creates wealth? Katharina Pistor explains how, behind closed doors in the offices of private attorneys, capital is created - and why this little-known activity is one of the biggest reasons for the widening wealth gap between the holders of capital and...