Major Global Trade Routes, 1400-1800

From the 15th to the 19th century a pattern of global trade flows emerged. China, India and Southeast Asia have been for centuries the origin of trade flows mainly involving luxury goods (spices, silk, tea, porcelain, etc.). This involved a positive flow of capital as their trading partners did not have much to offer in exchange expect cash (silver). This pattern would last until the 19th century when India was incorporated in the British Empire, the Chinese trade fell in the hands of Western powers (England, France, United States) and Southeast Asia was colonized (Dutch, English, French and Spain). The colonial involvement of Western European countries, starting in the 16th century, created new trade flows as well as insuring European control on existing ones (especially the Asia trade). For instance, Spain and Portugal, the first European maritime powers, controlled much of the global flows in the 16th century through a system of colonial exploitation. Much capital thus flowed back to Europe.