
09/11/2025
In 1871, the U.S. Congress passed what is known as the District of Columbia Organic Act, which restructured the governance of Washington, D.C. This act effectively created a single municipal government for the capital, uniting its separate cities and counties under one entity. Supporters of the view that America became a corporation in this moment argue that the language of the act, which established the District as a corporate municipal government, extended beyond just Washington, D.C., laying the foundation for a corporate framework that influenced the entire nation.
The key point often emphasized is that the act allowed the District of Columbia to function as a corporate entity, with the ability to contract, sue, and be sued—just like a private corporation. From this perspective, the United States shifted from being viewed solely as a constitutional republic into a corporate structure with Washington, D.C. at its center. Proponents suggest this change altered the relationship between the federal government and the people, making citizens effectively subject to the authority of this corporate system rather than sovereign individuals under the original constitutional design.
As a result, 1871 is seen as a pivotal year in U.S. history, marking a transformation in how power was organized and exercised. The interpretation holds that the country began operating under a corporate model, where the government itself functioned as a business entity with interests distinct from the people it governed. This framework, according to this view, has shaped federal authority, financial systems, and even how laws are enforced, embedding the concept of the United States not just as a nation but as a corporation in its own right.