Wednesday, October 1, 2008
History of European Trade
The two parts of Philip D. Curtin talks about how European came into maritime trade, and why they somehow succeeded. Their success was due to the fact that they learned to use different winds on the sea to get where they wanted to go. Also because of pirates on the sea, they have to find a solution to avoid or to affront them. For example some like the Portuguese agreed to protect other ships in exchange of some money. Therefore they made the Asians merchants were obliged to pay the Portuguese in order o sail without troubles. This is why the Portuguese became the first trading power on the sea. As a matter of facts they were trading and offering protection at the same which made them powerful. After the Portuguese, the Dutch and British also start trading on Asian seas and the Dutch even happened to be very effective because of the Vereenidge Oostinsche Company, the Dutch East Asian company or VOC. Just to say that among the world during the sixteenth century Europeans country were the biggest industrial power on seas.
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2 comments:
i don't think portuguese trade successes just by their protection system but others policies have brought them to the top of the trade; like the monopoly of some big posts or market like pepper trade.In fact, also,their trade was not so successful because they had financial problems. Further, they were also opposed to dutch and english compagnies which seized some of their posts and market like the spice.
i think that Alpha is right, portuguese trade succeeded because of protection as they were the ones that discovered trade first with India until the dutch and british came.
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