Question about corporations:

[chaska]

Can someone define what a corporation is, from a technical standpoint? I'm particularly interested to know if they were designed, from a legal perspective, to have a temporary life. And if so, what is the limiting factor that determines how long a corporation lives? Again, I'm talking about the legal particulars and about the original definition of the term 'corporation', and how that definition may have changed.

[FloridaPat]

1. A corporation is a legal entity. It can own and sell just about anything.

They can live forever. Usually there is a renewal charge from the state where they are incorporated in. As long as that is paid, the corporation continues. There is no limiting factor for determining life.

[ElaineinIN]

5. Dissolution

Corporations can be voluntarily dissolved, judicially dissolved (court orders it) or administratively dissolved (for nonpayment of fees or failure to fiel reports, for example). Also, I think you can put a provision in your articles of incorporation to limit the duration of the corporation, but it doesn't happen all that often.

[Shoeempress]

2. They "live" as long as they pay their registration fee each year.

Go to the secretary of state for any state, that is where corps are created.

[jody]

3. You'll receive several useful definitions but I also encourage you to

browse Corporate Watch

[mikeiddy]

4. Try Here

http://www.reclaimdemocracy.org/corporate_accountability/history_corporations_us.html

and here:

http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Corporations/Hx_Corporations_US.html