Precious Metals and Commerce

Precious metals played a key role in inter-continental trade between Europe and Asia in the early modern period. An assured supply of these metal was indeed a pre-requisite to the procurement of Asian goods such as spices, textiles and raw silk. Once these metals had been imported into Asia, they were converted into the coinage of the country concerned. The 'bullion for goods' pattern of trade had important implications for the level of output, income, employment and prices in the Asian societies. This collection of essays by Professor Om Prakash explores these issues in relation mainly to the Dutch East India Company. Given the scale of its operations, as well as its unique character as the only European corporate group to engage in large scale intra-Asian trade as an integral part of its overall trading strategy, the VOC is a particularly appropriate medium through which to analyse these issues. Les metaux precieux jouerent in rA'le clef dans le commerce international entre l'Europe et l'Asie au debut de la periode moderne. La presence d'un stock assure de ces metaux etait, en effet, un facteur necessaire afin de se procurer des produits asiatiques tels les epices, les textiles et la soie grege. Une fois importes en Asie, ces metaux etaient convertis dans le monnaie du pays concerne. La structure commerciale du bullion for goods avait des implications importantes en ce qui concernait le niveau de production, l'emploi et les prix au sein des societes asiatiques. Cette collestion d'essais du professeur Om Prakash explore ces questions en relation plus particulierement avec la conpagnie hollandaise d'Inde Orientale. Etant donnee l'envergure de ses operations, ainsi que son caractere unique en tant que seule corporation europeenne engagee dans un commerciale, le VOC est un particulierement bon exemple A travers lequel analyser ces questions.