User blog comment:Jeremiah Garland/Act of Parliament: Subjugation of the East India Trading Company/@comment-3064571-20150801132140/@comment-3112181-20150801163632

Actually, we can.

In establishing the East India Company in the early 17th Century, Elizabeth I (an English monarch) implemented a supremacy clause wherein the English government has the final say in all company matters and basically has its own kill switch. This is exactly what the British government did in 1773:

"By the Regulating Act of 1773 (later known as the East India Company Act 1773), the Parliament of Great Britain imposed a series of administrative and economic reforms; this clearly established Parliament's sovereignty and ultimate control over the Company. The Act recognised the Company's political functions and clearly established that the 'acquisition of sovereignty by the subjects of the Crown is on behalf of the Crown and not in its own right.'" (From your precious Wikipedia)

This act ultimately made the EIC a full-fledged company under direct control, surveillance, and administration of the British government. This is exactly what we're doing, just 25 years earlier. The act was renewed every 20 years until 1874, when the company was dissolved altogether.

For the record, the Company WAS ours to begin with; perhaps not in the game, but certainly in history, which seems to matter to you more anyways.

And don't you dare pull that McDonalds analogy on me. The only thing the EIC and McDonalds have in common is that they've both provided countless jobs to Indians.

Might I leave you with this warning, Mr Harrington, in case you did not see it:

"Lastly, should this Act be ratified, any and all persons who deny the Company's status as an entity dependent on the Crown, making their argument of disagreement known to all, and/or acting in any other manner perceived as rebellious in relations to the Company, will be deemed a Threat to His Majesty and indicted for Treason, and will be immediately subject to any punishment seemed appropriate by His Majesty's Court. Any individual who refuses to yield their posts in the Company or surrender Company arms, will be treated as equally guilty of Crimes against His Majesty and are therewith subject to similar punishments, whether such individuals are privy to the Act or no."

Also happy birthday.