Summary

This landmark study of Canton and Macao merchants advances our understanding of the rise and development of international commercial networks. The eighteenth century was a transitional period in world trade when large monopolistic companies gradually lost ground to more efficiently operated private enterprises. The China trade was one of the catalysts propelling this transformation and it is crucial to a better understanding of how and why these changes took place. This study presents much new information about the Canton and Macao merchants and provides fresh insights into the role China played in the rise of global economies.