The film’s central premise is the irony of corporate personhood. While the law grants corporations the same rights as human beings, their "personality" is defined by a singular, legally mandated mission: the pursuit of economic self-interest regardless of the consequences.
In the mid-19th century, the corporation was a relatively insignificant entity; today, it is the world’s dominant institution, possessing rights and influence once reserved for the Church or the State. (2003) investigates this evolution, specifically how the legal designation of a corporation as a "person" under the 14th Amendment has created a powerful entity that operates without a moral conscience. II. The Corporation as a "Legal Person" The Corporation(2003)
The documentary uses the term "externalities" to describe the costs—environmental, social, or health-related—that a corporation shifts onto society to maximize its own profit. The film’s central premise is the irony of