INGENIEUR
The Establishment of Global Trading Routes
The development of the interaction between Europe and
China becomes evident already in AD1. This trade led to the
creating of new trade routes across the Indian Ocean.
Centuries later, the discovery of the New World then brought
new importance to the Atlantic routes and coastal areas. Fig.1
illustrates the network of global trade routes in AD1500.
Andrew Sherratt [1] illustrates the development of
global trading routes as they became established
over the centuries from 3500BC to 1500AD
(Figure 1).
An early example provided is of the obsidian
trade within western Asian communities that can
be traced back to 9th to 6 th millennium BC, thus
pre-dating the Bronze Age. Obsidian is a natural
black volcanic mineral glass that possesses
excellent engineering properties, being both strong
and tough, and hence suitable for making cutting
tools. It was used to make sharp and strong
blades, and was traded in small quantities up to
1000 km away from its sources in the mountains.
Since obsidian was traded through gift-exchange,
many other valued materials (e.g. plant products Fig.1. Global trade roots in AD1500 (from [1]).
Figure 1. Global trade routes in AD1500 (from [1]).
used as medicines) probably circulated along the
B. The emergence of global economy
same routes [1].
While originally the trade routes served the principal
Sherrat t points out how progressive purpose of facilitating the exchange of goods, their
urbanisation drives the development of supply development naturally brought with it the transport of ideas,
chains for goods and foods. Trade connections wealth and influence. In the context of the emergence of a
between the earliest Mesopotamian cities in global economy, the British Empire played a pivotal role.
Britain across world's foremost power in the 18th later,
the fourth millennium BC became extended routesbecame thethe Indian Ocean. Centuriescentury.
The following century of Pax Britannica was characterized
with the spread of populations into the Eastern the discovery of the New World brought new
by the increase of wealth across the globe. The British East
Mediterranean, the site of the present Turkey importance that the Atlantic routes andthe mutiny,
India company to ruled the subcontinent before coastal
and Greece. It is “the greater material wealth areas.1850 acquired the wealth and turnover that exceeded
had by Figure 1 illustrates the network of global
that of routes in AD1500.
of urban communities, with their specialized trade Britain itself. The presence of the imperial trading and
manufacturing and bulk transport of commodities” administrative outposts ensured that the dissemination and
that allowed them to draw high-value resources uptake of technological advances across the world proceeded
The Emergence of a Global Economy emerged under
at an unprecedented rate. The global market
from the surrounding countryside, creating and the political umbrella of the British Crown, similarly to the
making use of the local exchange cycles [1]. It is While originally the trade routes served the principal
way that the Roman Empire in its time unified the then
readily apparent that the transport of goods was purpose of facilitating theand economically. The global
known world both politically exchange of goods, their
penetration of common brought with it the transport
motivated by the increase in wealth it brought development naturally methods of trading, accounting,
construction and manufacturing, together with the coverage
to the agents. This was sustained by the know- of ideas, wealth and influence. In the context of the
of a third of the a global economy, the British Empire
how possessed by the producers about certain emergence ofworld’s land mass (with influence evident in
every part of the globe) resulted in the emergence of an
pivotal system that for the first the world’s
materials and methods, on the one hand, and the played a economic role. Britain became time could be
integrated
knowledge held by the procurers of the utility and foremost power in the 18th century. The following
called global.
use of goods, and the supply and sale channels centuries of Pax note the debate that arose in recent years
It is interesting to Britannica were characterised by
regarding the in wealth between investment and return
the increase relationship across the globe. The British
for them on the other hand.
within the British imperial system. Some have argued that the
Roman Empire integrated the entire basin of East India company that ruled the subcontinent
net flow of mutiny, h Y