Why read The World That Trade Created?

Book cover of The World That Trade Created: Society, Culture, and the World Economy, 1400 to the Present

Book description

The World That Trade Created brings to life the history of trade and its actors. In a series of brief, highly readable vignettes, filled with insights and amazing facts about things we tend to take for granted, the authors uncover the deep historical roots of economic globalization.

Covering over seven…

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Why read it?

1 author picked The World That Trade Created as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Francine McKenzie

Author

This book shows how trade has long connected people and societies all over the world, from miners in Potosi, to coffee growers in Yemen, and traders and shippers from Fujian.

Topik and Pomeranz reject a Eurocentric approach to the history of international trade and they put real people back into the story. The engaging vignettes in this collection are not primarily about politics, but they make clear why trade is political and polarizing.

The workings of international trade powerfully affected people’s lives, for better and for worse, and so people reacted strongly to trade, as committed champions and tireless opponents.

From Francine's list on The best history books to understand why international trade is all about politics.