Corporate Power and the Politics of Change introduces the concept of “corporate governing” – the rising tendency of corporations to intervene in public life. It distinguishes between two core forms: corporate socioeconomic advocacy, where firms take public stances on contested issues, and government substitution, where they perform quasi-public functions in the face of political inaction. Through examples like Nike’s Kaepernick campaign, Disney’s clash with Florida over LGBTQ+ rights, Apple’s racial equity efforts, and Meta’s retreat, the Introduction shows how corporations increasingly shape public discourse and deliver policy-like outcomes. This expanding role has triggered backlash, raising concerns about democratic legitimacy, political polarization, and executive overreach. This chapter identifies the core legal and normative questions driving the inquiry, surveys the relevant literature, and presents the analytical framework that structures the book – providing a detailed roadmap for the chapters that follow.