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Comment by jrockway | Hacker News Reader

Why not become a contract killer? For the price of a handgun, you can make over 50 grand a day! Why bet on bad guys when you can be the bad guy?

Interestingly, this half-sarcastic rant has brought up a question in my mind. Why not charge betters on crime for the crime? Why not charge shareholders for the crimes corporations commit?

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Where shareholders decide what the corporation does they should bear some responsibility for its actions. Interestingly the market usually makes this calculation itself (http://www.lse.co.uk/ShareChart.asp?sharechart=BP. (dot required))

Because of limited liability?

If I paid someone to drain a bunch of oil into the ocean, I'd be in trouble. But if I "invest in" BP and it does the same, I'm OK. Why?

In an ideal situation, you would not be okay. BP wouldn't have even the potential of protection, and your investment would be wiped out.

Your punishment would be proportionate to your involvement.

The difference isn't anything to do with you paying (or owning stock in them) but rather intention. If you were paying someone to refill boats with oil, and they unintentionally spilled a bunch (just as BP did), you'd be liable in the same way as BP is now.

Note that BP is in trouble... There will be lawsuits all over the place, and not just from shareholders.

My question is, why not go after the shareholders in addition to BP?

simply enough: it's. not. their. fault.

How many shares do you have to sell before it's not $crime_for_hire?

Mu. Buying a hitman lunch does not make you an accessory to murder.

Well, if you gave the orders or where an accessory or actor, you're still in trouble. If that's what you mean by putting "invest in" in quotes.

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