Trade and Civilization

Book Review # 101398

Asian Studies
English > Analysis
Geography

A review of K.N. Chaudhuri's arguments in "Trade and Civilization in the Indian Ocean: An Economic History from the Rise of Islam to 1750."

1,609 words () | 1 source | MLA | 2008 United States

Paper Summary:

This paper analyzes the relationship between trade and civilization around the Indian Ocean. It discusses the topic according to K.N. Chaudhuri in his book "Trade and Civilization in the Indian Ocean: An Economic History from the Rise of Islam to 1750." The paper argues that Chaudhuri's book is a sound one and that, had the Indian Ocean never existed, the nature of Asian civilization today and in the past would be radically different.

From the Paper:

"Indian Ocean trade had a great impact upon the pre-modern Asian world. Political stability, marine law, technological innovation, the distribution of humanity along the coasts of every Asian nation touching the waters of the Indian Ocean, and national economies were all influenced profoundly by the Indian Ocean trade. The implications of this influence can even be seen today. Consequently, to understand the pre-modern history of Asia, one must first understand the interaction between the region and the Indian Ocean that has done so much to guide the course of history in that part of the world. In the end, the history of the world's great Asian civilizations cannot be told without telling the story of the Ocean that nourished--and continues to nourish--all of them."

Sample of Sources Used:

Chaudhuri, K.N. Trade and Civilization in the Indian Ocean: An Economic History from the Rise of Islam to 1750. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1985.