WW Chapter 14: Economic Transformations

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Chapter 14: Economic Transformations

Commerce and Consequence

1450-1750

The competitive nature of our species takes a turn for the worse when dominance, economics and prosperity are on the line.  Although Europe was able to trade with the far East via the Silk Roads, the loss of Byzantium to the Turkic peoples made things more difficult.   The Sea roads were the future.   In an effort to be the first of Europe to control the luractive trade in the Indian Ocean, Spain and Portugal sought to find a way around the African continent.  Portugal travelled down the West coast of Africa, around the cape and back up the East coast, finally arriving at the Indian ocean.  A trading base needed to be established locally to make the commerce worthwhile.  Spain, not to be outdone, financed Columbus' trip West to find a better route.  Columbus ran into the west indies and the New World's rich resources - particularly silver from South America - were within reach of Europe.

The two rivals then conquered South America and used the newfound wealth to buy their way into the East Indian Ocean trading game.  They had little that China was interested in, so they had to trade in silver in order to get exotic Chinese goods and spices.  Through bribes and military conquest, they established trading bases in the far east although the New World was becoming more lucrative.

The labor intensive nature of the enterprises that flourished in the New World - cotton, sugar cane and mining silver - required human capital - slave labor.  The native peoples were not resistant to the European carried sicknesses, so the African people - much less suceptible - were used in heavier numbers.  This led to one of the darkest and most horrific marks on our history, and it was the one that probably made me the saddest.  The lack of respect for resources and terrible treatment of human beings - reducing them to less than animals - is an embrassment of the highest order.  I was never aware of the statistics, but I was suprised to learn that the lions share of slaves, 45%, destined for New World ports ended up in Brazil.with only 9% or so going to North America.

Competition and dominance over resource wasn't limited to the Europeans however, the Russians  a new state grown out of the strength of Moscow after the Mongol influence waned - conquered Siberia for it richness in fur.

This need for dominance eventually fueled the greatest expansion of Western civilzation known - one that still continues today between the world's economic powers.