Great Trade Walls in Imperial China and Spain: Global goods, power struggles and bankruptcy, 1644-1840

This book offers a comparative and polycentric approach to the formation of global trade networks and goods that circumnavigated China, America, and Europe in the early modern period. It uses innovative methodology to analyze complex socioeconomic systems, focusing on specific case studies to validate the usefulness of this approach. The GECEM Project Database is a cutting-edge Digital Humanities tool used in this book.

Format: Hardback
Length: 112 pages
Publication date: 12 September 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This comprehensive volume explores the intricate formation of global trade networks and the circulation of goods that traversed China, America, and Europe during the early modern period, a period commonly referred to as "early globalization." Drawing upon a pioneering archival strategy developed by the GECEM Project (Global Encounters between China and Europe), funded by the European Research Council (ERC), the chapters in this book employ innovative methodology rooted in the process of clustering new empirical evidence on geostrategic locations to analyze complex socioeconomic systems. Each chapter focuses on a specific case study, meticulously validating the usefulness of this methodology for a more accurate analysis of the self-regulating institutions, social networks, circulation of global goods and information, and smuggling activities that characterized the nonlinear markets of early modern China, Europe, and the Americas. These studies serve as a remarkable testament to the emerging trends in global (economic) history, highlighting how a bottom-up approach, facilitated by new data mining and comparative methods, empowers scholars to uncover significant research questions. Notably, the design of the GECEM Project Database, a cutting-edge Digital Humanities tool utilized in this book, showcases the forefront of research in this field.

This book is a valuable resource for scholars engaged in the study of Global History and Atlantic studies, particularly those with an interest in China's trade and history, as well as its global interactions with the West. Originally published as a special issue of the journal Atlantic Studies: Global Currents, this volume offers a deep and multifaceted exploration of the historical forces that shaped the world during this pivotal period.

In conclusion, this book is a must-read for anyone seeking to gain a deeper understanding of the complex and interconnected world of early globalization. Through its innovative methodology, insightful case studies, and cutting-edge Digital Humanities tools, it provides a valuable contribution to the field of Global History and offers valuable insights into the past that continue to shape our present.

Weight: 385g
Dimension: 246 x 174 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032459936