Indian Ocean Trade Research Paper

The Indian Ocean trade was system that allowed the countries in the Indian Ocean to participate in a symbiotic relationship. The trade of many extravagant goods encouraged the surrounding countries to develop relationships between each other which lead to sharing discoveries and goods. Then, when the Portuguese arrived in the Indian Ocean there was an introduction of a power arrangement. Ultimately, the Portuguese disrupted a harmonious system of advancements and ruined the dynamics of the peaceful Indian Ocean trade by prioritizing their individual wealth and power.
Before the Portuguese arrived, the Indian Ocean trade was flourishing and allowed for the countries to advance. During the Ming dynasty, the Emperor, Yongle, received many gifts …show more content…
When the Portuguese arrived they were extremely unprepared: “the Portuguese did carry with them samples of gold, spices, and ivory but they failed to also bring along adequate goods to barter for these desired items.” The minor trinkets were inferior to the intricate commodities that were being spread throughout the Indian Ocean. During the reign of the Portuguese, hard power (or violence) was displayed to assert a new superior power: “if a ship was found without a cartaz it was automatically confiscated and it’s crew immediately killed or sent to the galleys.” The concept of the cartaz allowed the Portuguese to change the conditions in order to maintain their superiority. Without the luxurious resources the Portuguese compensated by using forcing other countries to …show more content…
When the Portuguese arrived, they want an economic benefit rather than developing a continuously beneficial society: “The Portuguese sought not a trading empire, but rather a protection racket that coerced local merchants into selling spices and other goods at below market rates and excluded other, particularly Muslims, from honest commerce.” In comparison to the rest of the countries that contributed to the Indian Ocean trade, the Portuguese were the first to have no interest in bringing positive change and only cared for the purposes of economic fortune. Similarly, the Portuguese sought the opportunity to monopolize a powerful system: “... the Portuguese involvement was the attempt to control and tax the trade on by Asian merchants in the Indian Ocean” By pursuing a dominant role the Portuguese separated them from benefitted from what other countries had to offer. By changing the economic consistencies throughout the trade, the Portuguese alienated themselves from being a communal trading unit and established their superior