The World's Key Industry : History and Economics of International Shipping

Maritime transport has been the main driver of trade growth, and the emergence and development of a global economy. This collection of essays from distinguished economists and historians takes an international and comparative perspective, covering topics ranging from technological advance and the role of the state to maritime business development. Front Matter....Pages i-xiv Introduction....Pages 1-10 Lewis R. Fischer and the Progress of Maritime Economic History....Pages 11-28 Shipping and Staple Economies in the Periphery....Pages 29-42 An Appraisal of the Progress of the Steamship in the Nineteenth Century....Pages 43-63 The Advantages of Water Carriage: Scale Economies and Shipping Technology, c. 1870–2000....Pages 64-87 Building the Networks of Trade: Perspectives on Twentieth-Century Maritime History....Pages 88-105 The Development of Commercial Infrastructure for World Shipping....Pages 106-123 Government and the British Shipping Industry in the Later Twentieth Century....Pages 124-141 Why They are Tall and We are Small! Competition between Antwerp and Rotterdam in the Twentieth Century....Pages 142-157 Institutional Path Dependence in Port Regulation: A Comparison of New Zealand and Australia....Pages 158-179 China’s Seaport Development during the Early Open Door Policy Period, 1978–2002....Pages 180-199 Private Companies, Culture and Place in the Development of Hull’s Maritime Business Sector, c.1860–1914....Pages 200-219 Risks and Rewards: The Business of Norwegian Shipping....Pages 220-234 Business Groups and Entrepreneurial Families in Southern Europe: Comparing Greek and Spanish Shipowners in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries....Pages 235-262 Epilogue: A Key Industry or an Invisible Industry?....Pages 263-272 Back Matter....Pages 273-305 For anyone interested in the growth and development of the world economy, knowledge of the history and mechanisms of shipping provides important insights. The international shipping industry served not only to integrate world markets, it was the international business par excellence and trends that later became visible in many other sectors of economic activity were first highlighted here. This book focuses on the history and economics of the global shipping industry and contains contributions from distinguished maritime historians and economists. The essays share an international, comparative and historical view of shipping. They provide an analysis of the overall development of the industry from the mid-nineteenth century to the present day, covering a wide range of topics, such as technological progress, freight rates, the institutions of shipping, the role of the state, port development and maritime businesses. Developments in the shipping industry have had a profound influence on the dynamics of national and international economies. This book helps to understand the essential role of 'the world's key industry'