The 'Mother of All Trades' : : The Baltic Grain Trade in Amsterdam from the Late 16th to the Early 19th Century / / Milja van Tielhof.

• Superior document: The Northern World Series ; Volume 3
• VerfasserIn: Tielhof, M. van 1963-
• Place / Publishing House: Leiden, Netherlands : : Koninklijke Brill NV,, [2002]; ©2002
• Year of Publication: 2002
• Edition: First edition.
• Language: English
• Series: Northern world.
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (421 pages)

This book aims to present a general history of the Amsterdam grain trade on the Baltic in the early-modern period, and concentrates particularly on the development and role of transaction costs.

Table of Contents

Intro -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Table of Contents -- List of illustrations -- Lists of tables, graphs, figures, and maps -- Preface -- Introduction -- 1. The 'mother of all trades' -- 2. A global chronology of the Baltic grain trade -- 3. The approach used in this study: the role of transaction costs -- 4. Structure of the book -- Chapter One Cornells Pietersz Hooft (1547-1626): booming business in an age of expansion -- 1. A chronicle of his life -- 2. The business of Cornells Pietersz Hooft -- 3. Hooft's ideas about economic policy -- Conclusion -- Chapter Two The great waves in the history of Baltic grain exports -- 1. The Sound Toll Tables: the Baltic historian's Bible -- 2. An age of expansion (1540-1650) -- 3. A period of contraction (1650-1760) -- 4. Renewed growth (1760-1800) -- 5. Marginalization (1800-1860) -- Conclusion -- Chapter Three The Amsterdam entrepôt -- 1. Amsterdam as an entrepôt for Baltic grain -- 2. Bread consumption in the Dutch Republic -- 3. The importance of Baltic grain to the Dutch food supply -- 4. Politics favouring the entrepôt -- Conclusion -- Chapter Four Market organization and enterprises -- 1. A free market -- 2. Number and size of the enterprises involved in Baltic trade -- 3. A characterization of the enterprises -- 4. The role of foreign enterprises -- Conclusion -- Chapter Five Information and agency -- 1. Amsterdam as a centre of information and decision making -- 2. Post between Holland and the Baltic -- 3. The Dutch mercantile communities overseas -- Conclusion -- Chapter Six The Dutch mercantile marine and transport costs -- 1. Size and composition of the Dutch merchant fleet -- 2. Competitiveness and profitability of Dutch shipping -- 3. Determinants of freight costs in the long run: the character of the Baltic trade as an 'inner trade' -- 4. Determinants of freight costs in the short run.

5. War and peace as determinants of freight costs -- 6. The weight of transport costs on profit margins -- Conclusion -- Chapter Seven Risks at sea and the Board of Baltic Trade and Shipping -- 1. Maritime insurance and other ways to deal with risks at sea -- 2. A permanent institution to support Baltic trade and shipping -- 3. Activities of the Board -- 4. The directors -- Conclusion -- Chapter Eight The service sector in Amsterdam -- 1. The grain lightermen -- 2. The grain carriers -- 3. The grain measurers and setters -- 4. Storage and maintenance of grain -- Conclusion -- Chapter Nine Willem de Clercq (1795-1844): commission business in heavy weather -- 1. A chronicle of his life -- 2. An analysis of the firm of S &amp -- P de Clercq -- 3. Willem de Clercq's ideas about trade -- Conclusion -- Conclusion -- Appendices -- A. Total Baltic grain exports divided according to sort of grain, 1562-1795 -- B. Baltic rye and wheat exports divided according to port of departure, 1562-1795 -- C. Freight costs -- Abbreviations -- Primary sources -- Bibliography -- Index -- The Northern World.