The Province and Politics of the Economic Torts

John Murphy is Professor of Law at the University of Lancaster, UK.

1. Introduction
I. Identifying ‘The Economic Torts’
A. One Major Problem
B. The Major Problem in Historical Perspective
II. The Actions Dealt with in this Book
III. Aims and Theses
IV. Structure of the Book
2. The Mistake of Monism
I. Introduction
II. Leading Monistic Accounts
III. The Limitations of Monism
A. The Conventional View
B. The Rights-Based View
C. The Kantian View
IV. Conclusion
3. Inducing Breach of Contract
I. An Inexplicable Action?
A. Attempted Rationales
B. An Alternative View
II. An Action Protecting Purely Economic Interests?
A. A Lesson from ‘Status-Based’ Theory
B. A Lesson from the ‘Property Thesis’
C. A Lesson from ‘Accessory (or Secondary) Liability Theory’
III. Conclusion
4. Torts Requiring Unlawful Means
I. Introduction
II. Causing Loss by Unlawful Means
A. The Conventional View on Scope
B. Challenges to the Conventional View on Scope
C. The Rationale of the Unlawful Means Tort
III. Unlawful Means Conspiracy
A. Distinctiveness of the Tort
B. Scope and Potential of Unlawful Means Conspiracy
IV. Conclusion
5. Lawful Means Conspiracy and Intimidation 2
I. Lawful Means Conspiracy
A. Vitality
B. Rationale
C. Merits
D. Potential
E. Reservations
F. Final Remarks
II. Two-Party Intimidation
A. Introduction
B. Vitality
C. Gist
D. Merits and Potential
E. Other Reservations
F. Final Remarks
6. The Misrepresentation Torts
I. Introduction
II. Passing Off
A. Protected Interest
B. The Relevance of Reprehensible Conduct
C. The Future
D. Final Remarks
III. Injurious Falsehood
A. Vitality
B. Protected Interests
C. The Need for Malice
D. Future Prospects
E. Final Remarks
IV. Deceit
A. Protected Interests
B. Egregious Wrongdoing
C. Final Remarks
V. Conclusion
7. Connections and Distinctions
I. Monism Revisited
II. Juridical Links and Distinctions
A. Mental Elements
B. Unlawful Means
C. Conclusion on Juridical Links and Distinctions
III. Structural Links and Distinctions
IV. Functional Links and Distinctions
A. Torts Protecting a Range of Interests
B. Torts with a Clear Alternative Rationale
C. Conclusion on Functional Distinctions
V. Overall Conclusion
8. Genesis and Evolution
I. Introduction
II. Zeitgeist
III. Politics
A. The Commitment to Individualism
B. Faith in Competitive Markets
C. Judicial Hostility Towards Trade Unions 3
IV. The Influence of Juristic Literature
V. Especially Reprehensible Defendants
VI. Conclusion
9. Future Province of the Economic Torts
I. Introduction
II. The Future of the Economic Torts
A. The Legitimacy of Judicial Gap-Filling
B. Constraints on, and Justifications for, Judicial Innovation
III. Interpretivism or Wishful Thinking?
IV. Conclusion