Shadow Economies in the Globalising World: Smuggling in Scandinavia, 1766-1806

During the late eighteenth century, a variety of global wares, including sugar, arrack, wine, cloth, and lemons, reached the Scandinavian borderlands through smuggling. This book explores how and why these goods came to be there, analyzing what smuggling reveals about the emergence of global trade, the nation-state, and consumer society in the region. It demonstrates that the global underground was pervasive in the Nordic countries and significantly altered them, challenging established historical accounts. By integrating illegality, the book offers a novel take on early modern globalisation and the paths to modernity in the European hinterlands.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 274 pages
Publication date: 30 December 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

During the late eighteenth century, a remarkable exchange of goods took place in the Scandinavian borderlands, encompassing a diverse range of items such as West Indian sugar, Southeast Asian arrack, French red wines, English felt cloth, and Mediterranean lemons. This intriguing phenomenon, explored in this book, delves into the intricate processes that led to the presence of these global wares in the region. By examining the reasons behind their arrival and conducting a comprehensive analysis of smuggling, the book sheds light on the emergence of global trade, the formation of nation-states, and the development of consumer society in the northernmost outskirts of Europe.

The global underground played a pivotal role in the Nordic countries, transforming them in profound ways. Politically, smuggling facilitated the development of informal networks and alliances that challenged the authority of established institutions. Economically, it created new opportunities for trade and profit, bypassing regulations and tariffs. Socially, smuggling brought people from different backgrounds together, fostering a sense of community and solidarity. Culturally, it influenced the development of new forms of entertainment, such as smuggling parties, and contributed to the spread of popular culture.

This book complements and challenges existing historical accounts of state building, market dynamics, consumer culture, and ideas and identity. By re-evaluating the role of smuggling, it offers a fresh perspective on early modern globalisation and the pathways to modernity in the European hinterlands. To achieve this, a wide range of sources, including court records, administrative sources, diaries, ambassadorial correspondence, and maps in various languages, are utilised.

This book makes a substantial contribution to the literature on economic history, the first wave of globalisation, the study of shadow economies, and Scandinavian history more broadly. It sheds new light on the complex interactions between peripheral territories and traditional centres of globalisation, challenging our understanding of the early modern world. By integrating illegality into the analysis, the book provides a novel approach to understanding early modern globalisation and offers valuable insights into the development of the European hinterlands.

Weight: 530g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032127439