朝貢貿易システムと近代アジア

世界システム論

抄録

The characteristics of Asian modernization can be clarified by study of the Chinese tribute trade system.
Historically speaking, intra-Asian trade expanded gradually from the 13th and 14th centuries, and encompassed two major areas, the East Asian trade network with China as its centre and the South Asian trade area centered on India. Together with several entre-pot ports in between, these two major trade regions were combined to form the whole Asian trade network.
The truth of the matter is that Western countries sought to participate in, and indeed did join in, this pre-existing trade network for Asian products exchanging them for their silver. In the course of this participation they associated themselves with a part of the established Asian trade zone and the “triangular trade” between Great Britain, India and China was one reflection of this situations.
Thus, the modern Asian trade network was not “formed” by the advance and impact of the Western countries, but was organized with the historically existing Asian trade network as its base and developed by the entry of Western countries. Taking this whole process into consideration, our analytical viewpoint must be one which sees the formation of the Modern Asian trade network as being propelled mainly by forces emerging from inside historical Asia.
Looking into the historical transformation more concretely, we can identify those factors which provided the Asian trade network itself with unity as follows:
(1) In the historical background were the trade relations of the tribute trade network in East Asia centred on China, the local trade of the South Asian region around India, and the trunk trade route between India and China. This traditional trade network in the Asian area was developed by the opening of Singapore and Hong Kong.
(2) Immigration from China and India to South-east Asia and the consequent commercial expansion by Chinese and Indian merchants served to strengthen trade and economic relations between Southeast Asia, China and India.
(3) Trade activity inside this trade area has been settled through the home remitting system adopted by overseas Chinese and Indians. Under this system, currencies of various countries and native products like rice and seafoods were used as media of remittance in addition to silver bullion. But it should be clearly remembered that the Asian trade network was supported by an Asian financial market closely connected with this remitting system and that, in fact, a Asian silver currency area or silver circulating area was a functioning reality.