Company is an enterprise organization form formed in the market economy to meet the needs of socialized mass production. Companies in China refer to for-profit legal entities established in China according to the Company Law of People's Republic of China (PRC), including limited liability companies and joint stock limited companies.
Before the company appeared, the sole proprietorship enterprise was the most typical enterprise form; All kinds of partnership organizations coexist with sole proprietorship enterprises, and the most typical partnership organization at that time was family management group.
Before the company came into being, the partnership organization did not obtain the legal person status, but some other legal persons appeared. This situation can be traced back to ancient Rome.
In ancient Rome, the state, local autonomous organizations, monasteries and other religious groups, nursing homes and other charitable organizations all obtained legal person status. In the Middle Ages, some trade groups obtained legal personality, especially those engaged in overseas trade. In medieval England, such organizations enjoyed greater independence than partnership organizations.
The earliest company was Infinite Company. However, there is no essential difference between an unlimited company and a partnership enterprise, but a partnership organization with legal person status.
The first legislation on unlimited companies was 1673, the commercial regulations of Louis XIV of France, which was then called ordinary companies. In the French Commercial Code 1807, it was renamed as United Company.
Japanese commercial law also stipulates that there are "joint associations". Infinite company has made great progress since it came into being, but with the emergence of joint-stock companies and limited liability companies, infinite company has retired to a secondary position.
These two companies evolved from the Comanda organization that appeared in the 5th century. In the Comanda organization, some people contribute money, but bear limited liability; Some people contribute, but bear unlimited responsibilities. Later, Comanda organization developed into two enterprise forms, one is dormant partnership (limited partnership) and the other is joint venture.
After the emergence of joint-stock companies, joint-stock companies have evolved into a new form: joint-stock companies. However, due to the emergence of joint-stock companies and limited liability companies, neither of them has developed on a large scale.