Trade Centers

[Keynes]

Originally posted by Faeelin
Decadence does not equal loss of trade.

"Venice now dealt mainly in domestic, or at least Adriatic, commodities-wine, olive oil, sulfur, salt, raisins and currants from the Ionian Islands. But the money flowed in; in 1782 it was found necessary to broaden the Riva eastward to allow more space for the unloading of merchanidise... "it seems likely that the total tonnage moving through the port of Venice was larger in 1783... than ever before in the house years of the city's history"-Norwich's History of Venice.

Two points:

1) there is a huge and critical difference between "tonnage" and value. A shift from high value trade like spices to low value bulk trade like salt may require the same or even expnaded physical port infrastructure, but the overall value of trade (and hence its significance) is diminished.

2) What matters is relative trade performance not absolute. The total volume of trade in Europe increased massively in Europe from Venices heydey in the 1400s to 1783. Even if Venice kept up in absolute terms, it crashed in relative terms. Think of this way - Tirana or Ulan Bator probably produces more in the way of absolute volume of goods ans services than 18th century London, so what?

 

[Faeelin]

Originally posted by Keynes
Two points:

1) there is a huge and critical difference between "tonnage" and value. A shift from high value trade like spices to low value bulk trade like salt may require the same or even expnaded physical port infrastructure, but the overall value of trade (and hence its significance) is diminished.

Of course. But Venice should become a poorer center of trade, not a non-existant one. And I do notice that it's one of the poorer ones in Europe by the 18th century, unless the human venice has gone aconquering.

Originally posted by Keynes
2) What matters is relative trade performance not absolute. The total volume of trade in Europe increased massively in Europe from Venices heydey in the 1400s to 1783. Even if Venice kept up in absolute terms, it crashed in relative terms. Think of this way - Tirana or Ulan Bator probably produces more in the way of absolute volume of goods ans services than 18th century London, so what?

I actually disagree, and suspect London produced more. I see your point and agree with it. I do, however, believe that Venice was an important trade center until its end.