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Studies in Comparative World History
Crosscultural Trade in World History
A single theme is pursued in this book - the trade between peoples of differing cultures through world history. Extending from the ancient world to the coming of the commercial revolution, Professor Curtin's discussion encompasses a broad and diverse group of trading relationships. Drawing on insights from economic history and anthropology, Professor Curtin has attempted to move beyond a Europe-centred view of history, to one that can help us understand the entire range of societies in the human past. Examples have been chosen that illustrate the greatest variety of trading relationships between cultures. The opening chapters look at Africa, while subsequent chapters treat the ancient world, the Mediterranean trade with China, the Asian trade in the east, and European entry into the trade with maritime Asia, the Armenian trade carriers of the seventeenth century, and the North American fur trade. Wide-ranging in its concern and the fruit of exhaustive research, the book is nevertheless written so as to be accessible and stimulating to the specialist and the student alike.
308 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1984
About the author
Philip D. Curtin
49 books6 followersPhilip DeArmond Curtin, 22 May 1922 - 4 June 2009, was a wide-ranging and influential historian whose pioneering use of modern statistical methods to determine the extent of the Atlantic slave trade suggested that far fewer slaves were transported from Africa than had previously been thought.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
November 22, 2020
I read this book because it related to the topic of a dissertation I was editing for a doctoral sociology student at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.
November 30, 2017
Cross-Cultural Trade in World History, by Philip D Curtin, details how cross-cultural trade affected the evolution cultures around the world throughout history. Philip D Curtin was a historian and professor at John Hopkins University. He specialized in Africa and Atlantic slave trade. In 1983, he was the winner of the MacArthur Foundation “Genius” grant. He has published over a dozen books including, The Atlantic Slave Trade: A Census and On the Fringes of History.
Cross-Cultural Trade in World History has been a fairly successful book. It has earned a 3.4-star customer rating on Goodreads. Readers have said things like “A well laid out overview of trade, with sections that go rather far in depth.”
Curtin begins Cross-Cultural Trade in World History by giving a brief overview of trade diasporas and cross-cultural trade. This section explains the importance trade and exchange across cultural lines throughout history. He then gives an overview of the positive and negative effects of cross-cultural trade. Curtin also talks about the variables that went into cross-cultural trade and cultural development.
The first variable Curtin describes is trade diasporas. He explains that trade diasporas were formed from cross-cultural trade. This happened when merchants travel to other countries to sell their products. This played a major role in the evolution of cultures. The next variable described is merchants and their hosts. He explains how the new trade communities affected the host societies.
After giving an overview of cross-cultural trade, Curtin begins to describe specific regions and the variables that went into the evolution of the culture in that specific region. The first region described is Africa. This section begins by describing their incentives to trade and patterns of competition. Next, he describes how trading in the African deserts differed from trading in the tropical African coasts and how cross-cultural trading affected these two cultures. The last section of the Africa region talks about East Africa and the major influence they had on the evolution of trade networks.
The next section is about Ancient trade. This includes regions like Mesopotamia, Assyria, Anatolia, Egypt, Eastern Mediterranean and Greece. Curtin explains that this is one of the first occurrences of cross-cultural trade in history. At the end of this section, he talks about the fall of Rome, as well as, the rise of Islam and how this influenced the cross-cultural trade in the region.
The next region Curtin describes is Asia. This section begins by describing their trade in the Eastern seas. It also talks about what later became known as the “economic miracle.” It then goes on to describe how the rise of Muslims and Christians influenced trade and the culture. Next, he describes how Asia’s cross-cultural trade with Europe and Portugal influenced the evolution of their culture. This influenced competition within the trade market, as well as, the start of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) and the English East India Company. Curtin ends this section by detailing the impact of Westernization and European dominance in trade and cultural evolution.
Overall, Curtin does an excellent job explaining how cross-cultural trade influenced cultural evolution throughout history. In the book, Curtin keeps an excellent balance between describing all the different regions and their cultural evolution, as well as, the variables that went into the evolution. For example, when talking about the variables that went into cross-cultural trade in Africa, he explains that this region was one of the last regions in the world to get involved in cross-cultural trade. Curtin states this is because, “Tsetse flies and the trypanosomes they carried made pack animals useless through much of the African tropics, thus impeding long-distance trade. Other diseases, especially falciparum, malaria and yellow fever, were so fatal to humans from other disease environments that Africa remained the continent least known to outsiders.”
Throughout the book, Curtin also uses several examples to help readers better understand the context. This is shown when Curtin is describing how trade diasporas have evolved over time. To give readers a better understanding of trade diasporas he uses the example of the Hanseatic League. To do this he says, “The Hanseatic League, for example, gave up its special trade enclave in London, called the ‘Steelyard.’ It served as the principle point for the distribution. Of English raw wool to the continent, but then it returned to French control.” This gives readers a better understanding of what trade diasporas are and how they affected cultural evolution.
Another method Curtin used to help readers better understand the context is by using illustrations. For example, in the section about Africa there are five maps. These maps include northern Africa, eastern Africa, west central Africa/ lower Congo Basin, lower Niger Basin, and Asante. This helps readers get a better understanding if the region that is being described.
Another example of this is when Curtin is explaining overland trades. In this section, there are maps of the regions with their trade routes. These figures help readers better understand the information that is given.
Even though Curtin does a good job getting the point across, he does not make it very interesting. Throughout the book, he states the facts as they happened, instead of making the events sound exciting. For example, when Curtin is talking trade diasporas he says, “Trade communities of merchants living among aliens in associated networks are to be found on every continent and through time to the very beginning of urban life.” This quote shows Curtin just states facts but doesn’t make vivid descriptions to make the story more interesting.
Overall, Cross-Cultural Trade in World History, by Philip D Curtin, is an excellent book that gives an overview of trading between cultures throughout history and how it affected the cultures we have today. He uses examples, illustrations and maps to help readers better understand what is being said. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in trade and its effects on cultural development.
Cross-Cultural Trade in World History has been a fairly successful book. It has earned a 3.4-star customer rating on Goodreads. Readers have said things like “A well laid out overview of trade, with sections that go rather far in depth.”
Curtin begins Cross-Cultural Trade in World History by giving a brief overview of trade diasporas and cross-cultural trade. This section explains the importance trade and exchange across cultural lines throughout history. He then gives an overview of the positive and negative effects of cross-cultural trade. Curtin also talks about the variables that went into cross-cultural trade and cultural development.
The first variable Curtin describes is trade diasporas. He explains that trade diasporas were formed from cross-cultural trade. This happened when merchants travel to other countries to sell their products. This played a major role in the evolution of cultures. The next variable described is merchants and their hosts. He explains how the new trade communities affected the host societies.
After giving an overview of cross-cultural trade, Curtin begins to describe specific regions and the variables that went into the evolution of the culture in that specific region. The first region described is Africa. This section begins by describing their incentives to trade and patterns of competition. Next, he describes how trading in the African deserts differed from trading in the tropical African coasts and how cross-cultural trading affected these two cultures. The last section of the Africa region talks about East Africa and the major influence they had on the evolution of trade networks.
The next section is about Ancient trade. This includes regions like Mesopotamia, Assyria, Anatolia, Egypt, Eastern Mediterranean and Greece. Curtin explains that this is one of the first occurrences of cross-cultural trade in history. At the end of this section, he talks about the fall of Rome, as well as, the rise of Islam and how this influenced the cross-cultural trade in the region.
The next region Curtin describes is Asia. This section begins by describing their trade in the Eastern seas. It also talks about what later became known as the “economic miracle.” It then goes on to describe how the rise of Muslims and Christians influenced trade and the culture. Next, he describes how Asia’s cross-cultural trade with Europe and Portugal influenced the evolution of their culture. This influenced competition within the trade market, as well as, the start of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) and the English East India Company. Curtin ends this section by detailing the impact of Westernization and European dominance in trade and cultural evolution.
Overall, Curtin does an excellent job explaining how cross-cultural trade influenced cultural evolution throughout history. In the book, Curtin keeps an excellent balance between describing all the different regions and their cultural evolution, as well as, the variables that went into the evolution. For example, when talking about the variables that went into cross-cultural trade in Africa, he explains that this region was one of the last regions in the world to get involved in cross-cultural trade. Curtin states this is because, “Tsetse flies and the trypanosomes they carried made pack animals useless through much of the African tropics, thus impeding long-distance trade. Other diseases, especially falciparum, malaria and yellow fever, were so fatal to humans from other disease environments that Africa remained the continent least known to outsiders.”
Throughout the book, Curtin also uses several examples to help readers better understand the context. This is shown when Curtin is describing how trade diasporas have evolved over time. To give readers a better understanding of trade diasporas he uses the example of the Hanseatic League. To do this he says, “The Hanseatic League, for example, gave up its special trade enclave in London, called the ‘Steelyard.’ It served as the principle point for the distribution. Of English raw wool to the continent, but then it returned to French control.” This gives readers a better understanding of what trade diasporas are and how they affected cultural evolution.
Another method Curtin used to help readers better understand the context is by using illustrations. For example, in the section about Africa there are five maps. These maps include northern Africa, eastern Africa, west central Africa/ lower Congo Basin, lower Niger Basin, and Asante. This helps readers get a better understanding if the region that is being described.
Another example of this is when Curtin is explaining overland trades. In this section, there are maps of the regions with their trade routes. These figures help readers better understand the information that is given.
Even though Curtin does a good job getting the point across, he does not make it very interesting. Throughout the book, he states the facts as they happened, instead of making the events sound exciting. For example, when Curtin is talking trade diasporas he says, “Trade communities of merchants living among aliens in associated networks are to be found on every continent and through time to the very beginning of urban life.” This quote shows Curtin just states facts but doesn’t make vivid descriptions to make the story more interesting.
Overall, Cross-Cultural Trade in World History, by Philip D Curtin, is an excellent book that gives an overview of trading between cultures throughout history and how it affected the cultures we have today. He uses examples, illustrations and maps to help readers better understand what is being said. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in trade and its effects on cultural development.
February 29, 2016
A well laid out overview of trade, with sections that go rather far in depth (African trade (understandably got a larger section than some others given the author's own scholarship in the area) and Armenian trade diasporas both got rather large sections).
The author's primary hypothesis is that trade diasporas constitute an important factor in trading between civilizations (compare to somebody like Chaudhuri who instead focuses on emporia as multifunctional trading centers that attract foreign traders). While this thesis may or may not be true when read in the context of other more individualistic (RE: Chaudhuri and other profit-motive theorists), it is argued for well.
Unlike much academic history, Curtin is engaging in his writing style. While certainly not a novel, Crosscultural Trade is a pleasure to read
The author's primary hypothesis is that trade diasporas constitute an important factor in trading between civilizations (compare to somebody like Chaudhuri who instead focuses on emporia as multifunctional trading centers that attract foreign traders). While this thesis may or may not be true when read in the context of other more individualistic (RE: Chaudhuri and other profit-motive theorists), it is argued for well.
Unlike much academic history, Curtin is engaging in his writing style. While certainly not a novel, Crosscultural Trade is a pleasure to read
January 23, 2012
A somewhat dry, slightly dated, and second-hand survey of cross-cultural trade patterns in world history. I only read the section on early Mesopotamian trade - which confirms what I had suspected, that the outlet was to the south (the Gulf and India) and east (Anatolia), and also overland to the north (Syria) -- not out to and through the Mediterranean.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews