新经济思想研究所-美国早期商业史上的规模和范围：1812年的“财富500强”（英）-2024.8-50页

1ScaleandScopeinEarlyAmericanBusinessHistory:The“Fortune500”of1812*RichardSylla1andRobertE.Wright2WorkingPaperNo.224August3rd,2024ABSTRACTFortunemagazinebeganpublishingannualrankingsofU.S.corporationsbyrevenuein1955.Eversince,scholarsandforecastershaveanalyzedchangesintheFortune500tohelpinformtheirjudgmentsaboutindustryconcentrationandtherelativeimportanceofdifferentsectorsoftheeconomy.Unfortunately,earlierdataarescarce,especiallybeforetheCivilWar.Throughextensiveresearchwehavecreatedasortofhistorical“Fortune500”goingbackto1812,rankedbycorporatecapitalization,whichwesharehere.Numerousinsightscanbedrawnfromthisdataset,includingthehistoricaldominanceofthebankingandfinancesectorsandtheearlyimportanceofmanufacturing.PerhapsthelargersignificanceofbeingabletocomeupwithaFortune500for1812,though,isthefactthatevenwithapopulationofonlyabout7.5million,U.S.alreadyhadmorebusinesscorporationsthananyothercountry,andpossiblymorethanallothercountriesputtogether,securingitsroleastheworld’sfirst“corporationnation.”Theeaseofincorporatingbusinessesreleasedalotofentrepreneurialenergythathelpedtobuildanever-*ThetextofthisessayandthelistoffirmswereoriginallypublishedinBloombergView2012.Reproducedwithpermission.Theopinionsexpressedarethoseoftheauthors.Thedataarenolongeraccessible.INETconsidersthedatatobeasignificantcontributio...