The Economics of Violence 5.1-5.5

1. The Economics of Violence 5.1-5.5 Jeff Gay

2. 5.1 The Logic of Immoral Trade • Before 1800 3 out of 4 immigrants came from Africa • About 10- 15 million people were sent across the Atlantic • It’s estimated about every 100 Africans, only 30 or less have survived the Atlantic crossing and the first 3 years on the new continent • ⅕ of the sailors die during the crossing • At the time Europeans only had colonies in the Americas • Even though Europeans knew of Africa longer they can only explotiate parts of it • The first large scale plantation was São Tomé • In 16th and 17th centuries, about 100,000 African slaves have worked on fazendas • Which were prototype plantations for Brazil • Brazil had 40% of African slave demand • Why Was there Demand? • The Native Americans were not immune to European Disease

3. 5.2 As Rich As Potosí • Deep into South America, there’s mountain, Cerro Rico, brought many who founded the City, Potosí • The mountain contained veins of silver • The Incas already mined the silver for their temples and jewelry • By 1545 the Spaniards were aware that this mountain exists • They employed the Incas and their technique to mineout this silver • In 1565, a mercury mine was discovered in Huancavelica, Peru • This made extracting silver from the ore easier • Terrible Working conditions • While the silver was mined, the Spanish Government started to build water projects • There was a labor shortage • The other natives were not willing to work for them

4. 5.2 As Rich As Potosí • As the Spaniards drafted more workers, their families came along to provided them with food • 16,000 Indians were there a time • 1650s there were 40,000 accompanying living on the outskirts of the city • Estimated by 1600 there about 160,000 thousands living the city • About 15% percent were miners • The rest were other that worked of the miners • The Hispanicized Population turned Potosí into an International Trade Center • Merchants send their silver to Acapulco, Mexico to trade for Asian goods • From Acapulco, the silver was sent over to Spanish -ruled Manila then traded for other goods • Once the silver was completely depleted, Potosí became a ghost town by 1800

5. 5.3 The Freebooting Founders of England’s Free Seas • By 1550-1630, England has started to become the world’s greatest commercial empire • With colonies throughout North America and the Carribeans • The East India Company • About 13 million pounds was invested in multiple joint-stock companies • With England’s investment, privateering was part of this investment • This helped with England’s Imperial Expansion • There was glory involved with these pirates • Piracy was a major part in early European Trade

6. 5.3 The Freebooting Founders of England’s Free Seas • The Dutch created Fluitschip, • They were slow, but required half the crew to operate for the same size ship • They dominated non luxury shipping lanes • Since they were not seen as threats pirates left them alone • When the Europeans entered the South China Sea and Indian Sea, the Chinese, Arabian, and Indian merchant Ships were not prepared for the armed European piracy • Eventually England had dominated international waters and then aimed for enforcing their waters like Pre-modern Asia

7. 5.4 Adventure, Trade, Piracy: Anthony Shirley and Pedro Teixeira, Two Early Modern Travelers • Anthony Shirley • He was warrior against the Spanish, a diplomat for the Shah of Persia, a lobbyist for English Merchants, a representative for the Spanish, and a piratate in the Caribbean and Mediterranean • He Came from aristocratic family • After attending Oxford he ended up leaving home to fight alongside his brother and father against Spanish troops in the Spanish Netherlands and Normandy • He lost the royal favor, due to the French Knighthood , but turned to privateering to win back the English royal Favor • He ended up working for the Roman Catholic Church as diplomat to Persia • He helped mediated negotiations between the Shah and the Christian Kings • They formed an alliance against the Ottoman Turks • 1603 Persian Troops with the aid of the Holy Roman Empire defeated the Ottoman Turks

8. 5.4 Adventure, Trade, Piracy: Anthony Shirley and Pedro Teixeira, Two Early Modern Travelers • Pedro Teixeira • Like Anthony Shirley, he ventured out on a journey of intellectual discovery • In 1585, he Traveled out from Portugal, to Portuguese and Spanish Colonies in India, to the Philippines, Mexico and Cuba. Then Back to Portugal in 1603 • He had an interest in drug and reported first on the world’s major stimulants • Opium, tea, cacao, betel, tobacco, and coffee • At the time Europeans were looking for remedies for the fog of wine and beer • He stated their cure was coffee, tea, and sugar

9. 5.5 The Luxurious Life of Robinson Crusoe • Created by Daniel Defoe in 1719 • The Story of Robinson Crusoe is about tribute to world trade , in luxury goods and a celebration of slavery, instead of a story about self sufficiency • Most of the story is about is regret about not listening to his father’s speech against luxury • On a island he never submits of pleasure and leisure but spends his time studying the bible • The story tries to tell Self-Sufficiency, frugality and moderation do not seem to be values that fuel world fuel

10. Conclusion • Violence/ force helped mediate trade during the 1500’s- 1600’s • Europe had exerted force to compensate for the lack of available labor • The British had hired pirateers to poke and steal from their enemies • Asia was ill prepared for the armed conflict that Europe was accustomed too