Bene qui latuit bene vixit: Or the puzzle of Commercial amnesia

The contribution attempts to build up a strong, fact based argument against the idea that only states are relevant for the history of international law. Empires and companies have played a major part, but this is largely ignored by main stream conceptions of international law. The contribution also argues that the leaving out of companies in the understanding of the development of international law, is a menacing kind of ‘commercial amnesia’, and in fact serves company interests. Hence the title: Bene qui latuit bene vixit. he who has concealed himself well, has lived well. Lastly, the contribution argues – perhaps to provoke the subject of our tribute – that the role of companies and empires have been much better understood by the conservative Edmund Burke than the by liberal J.S. Mill or the socialist Karl Marx.