Traders, planters, and slaves : market behavior in early English America

The explosive growth of the Atlantic slave trade in the second half of the seventeenth century made the international trade in Africans one of the world's largest industries. This book explores the operation of that industry in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, focusing on the market behaviour of the Royal African Company - the largest English company engaged in the slave trade - and the sugar planters of the Caribbean, who were the trade's principal customers in English America. A richly detailed portrayal of the slave trade to English America emerges, one that shows it to have been a highly competitive and efficient transatlantic market. In revealing the existence of sophisticated and complex market behaviour in this early period of black slavery in the New World, the book adds to our understanding of the development of large-scale competitive markets, as well as to our knowledge of the efficiency of resource allocation in early English America. The Explosive Growth Of The Atlantic Slave Trade In The Second Half Of The Seventeenth Century Made The International Trade Of Africans One Of The World's Largest Industries. This Book Explores The Operation Of That Industry In The Late Seventeenth And Early Eighteenth Centuries, Focusing On The Market Behavior Of The Royal African Company -- The Largest English Company Engaged In The Slave Trade ... It Was In The Late Seventeenth Century That Slaves Became A Majority Of The Population Of The English West Indies, And When Large-scale Use Of Black Slaves First Occurred In The Southern Colonies Of Mainland North America ... In Revealing The Existence Of Sophisticated And Complex Market Behavior In This Early Period Of Black Slavery In The New World, The Book Adds To Our Understanding Of The Development Of Large-scale Competitive Markets, As Well As To Our Knowledge Of The Efficiency Of Resource Allocation In Early English America -- Book Jacket. David W. Galenson. Includes Index. Bibliography: P. 217-223. This book explores the operation of the Atlantic slave trade industry in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, focusing on the market behaviour of the Royal African Company - the largest English company engaged in the slave trade - and the sugar planters of the Caribbean. This book deals with one aspect of the Atlantic economy during the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries: the transatlantic slave trade to the early English West Indies.