mercantile companies Flashcards

1
Q

What was the fundamental assumption on mercantile companies?

A

They were just trading corporations- became an empire with the acquisition of territory in the mid 1700s. (Battle of Plassey)
Sharp distinction between “trading” and “imperial” periods of British India.

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2
Q

When is it assumed that EIC became an empire?

A

Battle of Plassey (acquisition of Bengal)

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3
Q

What does anachronistic mean?

A

Attributing something to a period to which it doesn’t belong

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4
Q

How are we making anachronistic assumptions abt mercantile companies?

A

Because companies nowadays aren’t imperial powers, we assume it was like that too.

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5
Q

What features of a private company did mercantile companies have?

A

Owned by private shareholders
In the business of trade
Run for profit

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6
Q

What features of a public sovereign do mercantile companies have?

A

Having an army

Has a real political system with hierarchical structure (they were not a subset of European politics or economy)

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7
Q

Who wrote the book about the company-state?

A

Philip Stern

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8
Q

Modern corporation-communities?

A

Apple, facebook, google

They organize health, transportation “sense of community”

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9
Q

The myth of 1648

A

EM was actually filled with variety of corporate bodies, hybrid, overlapping and composite forms of sovereignty

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10
Q

The central role of corporations (church etc.)

A

Formed the bedrock of political and associational life in Europe
Purpose: to bind a multitude of people together into a legal singularity / artificial person (concept that binds a group)
The king is dead but it has a “spiritual body” an “artificial king”

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11
Q

Who talks about the state beyond this “spiritual body”?

A

Thomas Hobbes - Leviathan

First time we get the concept of the state

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12
Q

Mercantile companies are totally states…

A

EIC claimed jurisdiction over all English subjects in Asia
Then they get grants from English monarchs that allowed for greater autonomy
Eventually it obtains all main attributes of a state (make law, wage war, coin money)

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13
Q

Sources of legitimacy for mercantile companies (2)

A

Charters and powers from home

Grants, treaties and alliances with Asian polities (insinuation and deference)

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14
Q

Disadvantages of the sources of legitimacy of mercantile companies?

A

The multiplicity of foundations means authority is volatile

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15
Q

Advantages of the sources of legitimacy of mercantile companies?

A

Ability balance different sources means flexibility and robust form of political pwoer

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16
Q

When was EIC founded?

A

1600

17
Q

When is the Battle of Plassey?

A

1757

18
Q

When does the British government take direct control of India?

A

1857

19
Q

What was the largest global corporation in C17?

A

VOC - dominated the spice trade from 1600 to mid 1700s

20
Q

How was VOC this successful?

A

Gained monopoly on spices, only one accessing Japan

21
Q

Were European monopolies a myth?

A

Monopolies were a European thing that didn’t affect asians

Beyond spices monopolies collapse (tea, textiles)

22
Q

Key findings of contemporary research on mercantile companies?

A

They were a political power

23
Q

When was VOC founded?

A

1602