The growth of the limited liability company and municipal business had important consequences. Such large,impersonal manipulation of capital and industry greatly increased the numbers and importance of shareholders as a class,an element in national life representing irresponsible wealth detached from the land and the duties of the landowners; and almost equally detached from the responsible management of business. All through the nineteenth century,America,Africa,India,Australia and parts of Europe were being developed by British capital,and British shareholders were thus enriched by the world’s movement towards industrialization. Towns like Bournemouth and Eastbourne sprang up to house large “comfortable” classes who had retired on their incomes,and who had no relation to the rest of the community except that of drawing dividends and occasionally attending a shareholders meeting to dictate their orders to the management. On the other hand “shareholding” meant leisure and freedom which was used by many of the later Victorians for the highest purpose of a great civilization.
60. The growth of limited liability companies resulted in .
A. the separation of capital from management
B. the ownership of capital by managers
C. the emergence of capital and labor as two classes
D. the participation of shareholders in municipal business