The defensive clause in a company’s bylaw is an important tool against takeover, but its legitimacy has been questioned by the theoretical and judicial fields, and it is manifested in complex and various forms. In terms of institutional value, the defensive clause has a significant effect on maintaining the stability of the corporate governance structure, protecting the legitimate rights and interests of the initial shareholders and the company’s funding and innovation team, ensuring the sound development of market economy, and promoting the establishment of business ethics. In the legislation on defensive clauses, the basic legislative attitude should be to fully respect the company’s autonomy, and to set the necessary limits on the boundaries of its autonomy for different kinds of defense clauses. In judicial practice, basic judicial principles, such as “company autonomy first”, substantive equality, maximizing the company’s interests, and appropriate defense and etc., should be established, to ensure that the company’s acquisition and anti-acquisition are legal and fair and in an orderly manner, under the premise of striking a balance between the social and individual benefits.
Abstract Ⅰ. The Institutional Value of the Defensive Clause in the Company’s Bylaw 1. Maintaining the Stability of Corporate Governance Structure 2. Protecting the Legitimate Rights and Interests of the Initial Shareholders and the Company’s Funding and Innovation Team. 3. Ensuring the Sound Development of the Market Economy 4. Promoting the Business Ethics Ⅱ. An Examination of the Law’s Attitude Towards the Defensive Clause in a Company’s Bylaw 1. China’s Legislative History Concerning the Defensive Clause in a Company’s Bylaw 2. Reflection on the Legal Dilemma Faced by the Defensive Clause in the Company’s bylaw in Practice 3. The Basic Attitude towards the Defensive Clause in the Company’s Bylaw Ⅲ. The Principles in Adjudicating the Defensive Clause in the Bylaw 1. Rule of “Company Autonomy First” 2. The Rule of Emphasizing the Substantive Equality – From “Shares of theSame Class Must Have the Same Rights” to Equal Shareholders 3. The Principle of Effectively Maximizing the Company’s Interests 4. The Principle of Appropriate Defense Ⅳ. Conclusion References 摘要