Glossary entry

French term or phrase:

capitalisme patrimonial

English translation:

investor or investor-based capitalism

Added to glossary by Melissa McMahon
Jul 19, 2007 10:57
16 yrs ago
French term

capitalisme patrimonial

French to English Bus/Financial Government / Politics
This is, in context, more or less synonymous with 'shareholder capitalism': the context is as follows:

"La concentration du capital et du pouvoir décisionnel aux mains des investisseurs institutionnels – des gérants de fonds supposés organisés et professionnels – modifie considérablement la donne. Ces derniers seraient, en effet, en mesure de peser sur le management des entreprises, ou du moins, de surveiller de manière plus étroite les décisions des managers. Certains qualifient cette nouvelle configuration de **capitalisme actionnarial ou patrimonial**"

I have seen this translated as 'patrimonial capitalism' but this sounds like translationese to me, and an online search reveals all references to this term come from translated sources. I think in context, 'asset-based capitalism' is what's meant but it's not very snappy. 'Proprietary capitalism' seems tempting, but this actually means the opposite: the control of the company by the proprietors (rather than shareholders).

Any ideas and insights gratefully received.
Proposed translations (English)
3 +1 investor or investor-based capitalism
Change log

Jul 24, 2007 23:31: Melissa McMahon Created KOG entry

Proposed translations

+1
41 mins
Selected

investor or investor-based capitalism

This suggested itself from the passage you gave, and ghits seem to correspond to the phenomenon in question, eg. a book called "Investor Capitalism: How Money Managers Are Changing the Face of Corporate America" (although the start of the blurb to this book suggests that this phenomenon is not an equivalent of 'shareholder-based' capitalism... but both move away from manager/proprietor-based capitalism).
Peer comment(s):

agree Silvia Brandon-Pérez : By any other name would smell as rotten...
5 hrs
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Yes this seems perfectly acceptable. Thank-you. I wondered if I could actually make it even more specific, and call it "asset management capitalism", as 'investor capitalism' seems somewhat tautological, although it makes sense in context."
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