The Capital and the Colonies London and the Atlantic Economy 16601700 [Paperback]

This book describes how the mercantile system was made to work as London established itself as the capital of the Atlantic empire.Between 1660 and 1700, London established itself as the capital and commercial hub of a thriving Atlantic empire, accounting for three quarters of the nation's colonial trade. Nuala Zahedieh's unique study provides the first detailed picture of how that mercantile system was made to work.Between 1660 and 1700, London established itself as the capital and commercial hub of a thriving Atlantic empire, accounting for three quarters of the nation's colonial trade. Nuala Zahedieh's unique study provides the first detailed picture of how that mercantile system was made to work.Between 1660 and 1700, London established itself as the capital and commercial hub of a thriving Atlantic empire, accounting for three quarters of the nation's colonial trade, and playing a vital coordinating role in an increasingly coherent Atlantic system. Nuala Zahedieh's unique study provides the first detailed picture of how that mercantile system was made to work. By identifying the leading colonial merchants, she shows through their collective experiences how London developed the capabilities to compete with its continental rivals and ensure compliance with the Navigation Acts. Zahedieh shows that in making mercantilism work, Londoners helped to create the conditions which underpinned the long period of structural change and economic growth which culminated in the Industrial Revolution.List of illustrations; List of tables; List of figures; List of maps; Acknowledgements; List of abbreviations; Introduction; 1. London and the Atlantic economy; 2. Merchants; 3. Shipping; 4. Imports; 5. Exports; 6. Conclusion; Bibliography. An economic and social historian, Zahedieh attacks her subject with empirical rigor. The results are detailed and meticulous, if generally longer on data than interpretation. -William and Mary Quarterly This beautifully produced volume, with foolÃÝ