When we Chinese mention the British East India Company, emotions are mixed. Because it was the expansion of such a trading company that had a profound impact on the situation in modern Asia, and even led to the outbreak of the Opium War.
In the history of Europe, in the process of the development of European capitalism, there are many more of these enterprises that appear as hegemonic companies, as well as the Dutch East India Company, the Dutch West India Company, the Russian-American Company, the Hudson Bay Company, the British South African Company, and so on. And these companies are all monopolizing and colonizing local resources and opening up a bloody trade.
Although our modern society has strict restrictions on monopolies, companies that once could influence the situation of the entire country can no longer be arrogant. But the summary of past history is still very meaningful, they are not only an important part of history, but also the legendary stories of the founders who founded these companies. Through what they have done, through the combing of their sins, they can bring reflection and deeper thinking to future generations.
After all, they have really existed, they have had an impact on the world, and they have caused harm to many people. Then it is the responsibility of historians to restore them to us, so that we can learn from them and avoid such malignancy in the future.
Stephen S. R. Bowen, best-selling author, author of more than a dozen nonfiction works on the history of science, exploration, and the history of ideas.
In the book "Trade and Colonization: 300 Years of Hegemonic Companies (1600-1900)", the author focuses on six monopoly companies in European history, focusing on six legendary historical figures, through their behavior in the process of foreign trade expansion of the company, restore the real historical details, let us see the development of these monopoly companies from the historical details, and see the harm their development to the world.
These monopoly stories played an important role in the expansion of Europe, and these trading companies made a lot of money for their investors in the process of expansion, under the premise of monopoly operation, and stimulated the development of Europe, but the way they earned their wealth did have a very bad effect on the reputation of the company, and this influence extended to its consumers and colonists.
For example, Cohen, who brought extraordinary benefits to the Dutch East India Company, returned to the Netherlands to shock the Dutch people by his way of behaving, and feared that the Dutch East India Company would make the whole country notorious.
Other monopolies follow the same process, all of which pose a danger to consumers and society. Moreover, in order to maintain the monopoly position of the company, they have done something in the political and military fields. Even in the colonies, they are completely ungoverned, engaging in cultural and environmental destruction with impunity, and they leave a speckled stain on history.
Then let us read such an easy-to-understand historical popular science book, enter six "hegemonic" companies with great reputation in European history, enter the stories of the founders of these companies, understand history, and reflect on history. #Trade##Hegemony##Monopoly#