Shareholder Capitalism, as stated, 1970s-present
20th Century · stated scope
Shareholder capitalism is an economic and organizational doctrine holding that corporations exist primarily to maximize returns for their shareholders, with share price and dividends serving as the principal metrics of corporate performance. It became the prevailing framework for corporate governance in the United States and other market economies from the 1970s onward, shaped in part by Milton Friedman's 1970 articulation of shareholder primacy in corporate management. It is principally associated with the doctrines of agency theory, executive compensation tied to equity performance, and the displacement of earlier stakeholder-oriented models of the firm.
Cluster:Pragmatic Achievement
Defined by elevated Evidence-Based Reasoning, with Achievement & Excellence, Material Aspiration, and Progress & Innovation running high alongside it. Sanctity & Transcendence and Tradition & Continuity sit low. The pattern is secular and outcome-focused: performance and evidence over inherited forms.
Full profile
All 22 dimensions in one fixed order, grouped by the contrast axis each feeds, so any two entities can be read side by side. Switch to “By axis” to group them by the axis each feeds.
Neighbors
- 1Market Capitalism, as realized, 2015-presentDistance: 10Compare
- 2Neoliberalism, as stated, late 20th c.-presentDistance: 17Compare
- 3Wall Street Journal, as realized, 2015-presentDistance: 19Compare
- 4Chicago School Economics, as stated, 1950s-presentDistance: 21Compare
- 5Milei (Argentina presidency), as realized, 2023-presentDistance: 21Compare
The Three Axes (Detail)
Each bar is one pole’s pull, pointing the way it pushes the result. The dot is where the two pulls add up.