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90-815: Commerce consists of trade and aids to trade (i.e. auxiliary commercial services) taking place along the entire supply chain . Trade is the exchange of goods (including raw materials , intermediate and finished goods ) and services between buyers and sellers in return for an agreed-upon price at traditional (or online ) marketplaces . It is categorized into domestic trade , including retail and wholesale as well as local, regional, inter-regional and international/foreign trade (encompassing import , export and entrepôt/re-export trades). The exchange of currencies (in foreign exchange markets ), commodities (in commodity markets /exchanges) and securities and derivatives (in stock exchanges and financial markets ) in specialized exchange markets also falls under

180-438: A comparative advantage (perceived or real) in the production of some trade-able goods – including the production of scarce or limited natural resources elsewhere. For example, different regions' sizes may encourage mass production . In such circumstances, trading at market price between locations can benefit both locations. Different types of traders may specialize in trading different kinds of goods; for example,

270-562: A market . Traders generally negotiate through a medium of credit or exchange, such as money. Though some economists characterize barter (i.e. trading things without the use of money ) as an early form of trade, money was invented before written history began. Consequently, any story of how money first developed is mostly based on conjecture and logical inference. Letters of credit , paper money , and non-physical money have greatly simplified and promoted trade as buying can be separated from selling , or earning . Trade between two traders

360-424: A perfectly competitive market when long-run economic equilibrium is reached, economic profit would become non-existent, because there is no incentive for firms either to enter or to leave the industry . Companies do not make any economic profits in a perfectly competitive market once it has reached a long run equilibrium. If an economic profit was available, there would be an incentive for new firms to enter

450-507: A country and the rest of the world is called foreign or international trade , which consists of import trade and export trade, both being wholesale in general. Commerce not only includes trade as defined above, but also the auxiliary services or aids to trade and means that facilitate such trade. Auxiliary services aid trade by providing services which such as transportation , communication , warehousing , insurance , banking , credit financing to companies, advertising , packaging , and

540-713: A country. International commerce can be regulated by bilateral treaties between countries. After the second world war and the rise of free trade among nations, multilateral arrangements such as the GATT and later the World Trade Organization became the principal systems regulating global commerce. The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) is another important organization which sets rules and resolves disputes in international commerce. Where national government bodies undertake commercial activity with or inside other states, this commercial activity may fall outside

630-433: A few circumstances tariffs might be beneficial to the host country; but never for the world at large. The Great Depression was a major economic recession that ran from 1929 to the late 1930s. During this period, there was a great drop in trade and other economic indicators. The lack of free trade was considered by many as a principal cause of the depression causing stagnation and inflation. Only during World War II did

720-461: A firm that introduces a differentiated product can initially secure temporary market power for a short while (See Monopoly Profit § Persistence ). At this stage, the initial price the consumer must pay for the product is high, and the demand for, as well as the availability of the product in the market , will be limited. In the long run however, when the profitability of the product is well established, and because there are few barriers to entry ,

810-445: A firm. Therefore, economic profit is smaller than accounting profit. Normal profit is often viewed in conjunction with economic profit. Normal profits in business refer to a situation where a company generates revenue that is equal to the total costs incurred in its operation, thus allowing it to remain operational in a competitive industry. It is the minimum profit level that a company can achieve to justify its continued operation in

900-496: A general sense, business is the activity of earning money and making one's living through engaging in commerce. However, in a more specific sense, a business is an organization or activity for making a profit by providing goods and services which meet the needs of its customers or consumers. Business organizations typically operate in the primary (dealing with the extraction and sourcing of raw materials) and secondary (dealing with manufacturing intermediate or finished goods) sectors of

990-453: A large portion of market share due to new entrants being unable to obtain the necessary requirements or pay the initial costs of entry. An oligopoly is a case where barriers are present, but more than one firm is able to maintain the majority of the market share. In an oligopoly, firms are able to collude and limit production, thereby restricting supply and maintaining a constant economic profit. An extreme case of an uncompetitive market

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1080-636: A near-collapse of the trade network in the western world. Trade, however, continued to flourish among the kingdoms of Africa, the Middle East, India, China, and Southeast Asia. Some trade did occur in the west. For instance, Radhanites were a medieval guild or group (the precise meaning of the word is lost to history) of Jewish merchants who traded between the Christians in Europe and the Muslims of

1170-463: A positive relationship between how well-connected a coastal location was and the local prevalence of archaeological sites from the Iron Age. This suggests that a location's trade potential was an important determinant of human settlements. The complaint tablet to Ea-nāṣir , dated 1750 BCE, documents the tribulations of a copper merchant at the time. From the beginning of Greek civilization until

1260-475: A profit maximizing solution. Another significant factor for profit maximization is market fractionation . A company may sell goods in several regions or in several countries. Profit is maximized by treating each location as a separate market. Rather than matching supply and demand for the entire company the matching is done within each market. Each market has different competitions, different supply constraints (like shipping) and different social factors. When

1350-681: A wider variety of goods and services, and encourages innovation and competition for better products . On the other hand, commerce can worsen economic inequality by concentrating wealth (and power ) into the hands of a small number of individuals , and by prioritizing short-term profit over long-term sustainability and ethical , social , and environmental considerations, leading to environmental degradation , labor exploitation and disregard for consumer safety . Unregulated, it can lead to excessive consumption (generating undesirable waste ) and unsustainable exploitation of nature (causing resource depletion ). Harnessing commerce's benefits for

1440-607: Is a monopoly, where only one firm has the ability to supply a good which has no close substitutes . In this case, the monopolist can set its price at any level it desires, maintaining a substantial economic profit. In both scenarios, firms are able to maintain an economic profit by setting prices well above the costs of production, receiving an income that is significantly more than its implicit and explicit costs. The existence of uncompetitive markets puts consumers at risk of paying substantially higher prices for lower quality products. When monopolies and oligopolies hold large portions of

1530-479: Is a part of commerce and commerce is an aspect of business. Historian Peter Watson and Ramesh Manickam date the history of long-distance commerce from circa 150,000 years ago. In historic times, the introduction of currency as a standardized money facilitated the exchange of goods and services. Commerce was a costly endeavor in the antiquities because of the risky nature of transportation, which restricted it to local markets. Commerce then expanded along with

1620-457: Is also known as laissez-faire policy. This kind of policy does not necessarily imply because a country will then abandon all control and taxation of imports and exports. Free trade advanced further in the late 20th century and early 2000s: Profit (economics) In economics, profit is the difference between revenue that an economic entity has received from its outputs and total costs of its inputs, also known as surplus value . It

1710-399: Is an example for negative externality. Consumer surplus is an economic indicator which measures consumer benefits. The price that consumers pay for a product is not greater than the price they desire to pay, and in this case there will be consumer surplus. For the supply side of economics, the general school of thought is that profit is meant to ensure shareholder yield . While it is

1800-436: Is called bilateral trade , while trade involving more than two traders is called multilateral trade . In one modern view, trade exists due to specialization and the division of labor , a predominant form of economic activity in which individuals and groups concentrate on a small aspect of production, but use their output in trade for other products and needs. Trade exists between regions because different regions may have

1890-575: Is deeply bound up in trade, as a system of clay tokens used for accounting – found in Upper Euphrates valley in Syria dated to the 10th millennium BCE – is one of the earliest versions of writing. Ebla was a prominent trading center during the third millennia BCE, with a network reaching into Anatolia and north Mesopotamia. Materials used for creating jewelry were traded with Egypt since 3000 BCE. Long-range trade routes first appeared in

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1980-540: Is defined as the difference in total revenue and total cost, a firm achieves its maximum profit by operating at the point where the difference between the two is at its greatest. The goal of maximizing profit is also what leads firms to enter markets where economic profit exists, with the main focus being to maximize production without significantly increasing its marginal cost per good. In markets which do not show interdependence , this point can either be found by looking at these two curves directly, or by finding and selecting

2070-536: Is derived from the Latin commercium , from cum "together" and merx , "merchandise." Trade originated from human communication in prehistoric times. Prehistoric peoples exchanged goods and services with each other in a gift economy before the innovation of modern-day currency. Peter Watson dates the history of long-distance commerce to c.  150,000 years ago. In the Mediterranean region,

2160-429: Is equal to total revenue minus total cost, including both explicit and implicit costs. It is different from accounting profit , which only relates to the explicit costs that appear on a firm's financial statements . An accountant measures the firm's accounting profit as the firm's total revenue minus only the firm's explicit costs. An economist includes all costs, both explicit and implicit costs, when analyzing

2250-512: Is higher than that which would be found in a similar but more competitive industry, allowing the firms to maintain an economic profit in both the short and long run. The existence of economic profits depends on the prevalence of barriers to entry , which stop other firms from entering into the industry and sapping away profits like they would in a more competitive market. Examples of barriers to entry include patents , land rights , and certain zoning laws . These barriers allow firms to maintain

2340-429: Is much more prevalent in uncompetitive markets such as in a perfect monopoly or oligopoly situation, where few substitutes exit. In these scenarios, individual firms have some element of market power . Although monopolists are constrained by consumer demand , they are not price takers, but instead either price or quantity setters. Due to the output effect and the price effect, marginal revenue for uncompetitive markets

2430-436: Is not concerned with the extraction of raw materials and the manufacturing of goods. Viewed in this way, commerce is a broader concept and an overall, all-encompassing aspect of business. Commerce provides the underlying large-scale transactional environment comprising all kinds of exchanges within which individual business organizations operate for generating profits. Commerce is distinguishable from trade as well. Trade

2520-412: Is the transaction (buying and selling) of goods and services that makes a profit for the seller and satisfies the want or need of the buyer. When trade is carried out within a country, it is called home or domestic trade , which can be wholesale or retail . A wholesaler buys from the producer in bulk and sells to the retailer who then sells again to the final consumer in smaller quantities. Trade between

2610-404: Is very different from marginal revenue for competitive firms. In the output effect, more output is sold, quantity sold is higher. In the price effect, this reduces the prices firms charge for every unit they sell, and cut in price reduces revenue on the units it was already selling. Therefore, in uncompetitive market, marginal revenue is less than its price. This allows the firm to set a price which

2700-744: The Bengal Sultanate was a major trading nation in the world and often referred to by Europeans as the wealthiest country with which to trade. In the 16th and 17th centuries, the Portuguese gained an economic advantage in the Kingdom of Kongo due to different philosophies of trade. Whereas Portuguese traders concentrated on the accumulation of capital, in Kongo spiritual meaning was attached to many objects of trade. According to economic historian Toby Green , in Kongo "giving more than receiving

2790-485: The European Union ) or coalitions (like BRICS ) leading to its reconfiguration. The English-language word commerce has been derived from the Latin word commercium , from com ("together") and merx ("merchandise"). Despite many similarities (to the extent that they are sometimes used as synonyms in layman's terms and in other contexts), commerce, business and trade are distinct concepts. In

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2880-684: The Great Depression of the 1930s. Trade openness increased substantially again from the 1950s onward (albeit with a slowdown during the oil crisis of the 1970s ). Economists and economic historians contend that current levels of trade openness are the highest they have ever been. Trade is from Middle English trade ("path, course of conduct"), introduced into English by Hanseatic merchants, from Middle Low German trade ("track, course"), from Old Saxon trada ("spoor, track"), from Proto-Germanic *tradō ("track, way"), and cognate with Old English tredan ("to tread"). Commerce

2970-478: The Industrial Revolution fundamentally reshaped commerce. In the post-colonial 20th century, free market principles gained ground, multinational corporations and consumer economies thrived in U.S.-led capitalist countries and free trade agreements (like GATT and WTO ) emerged, whereas communist economies encountered trade restrictions , limiting consumer choice . Furthermore, in

3060-703: The Venetian Republic and the Republic of Genoa were major trade centers. They dominated trade in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, having the monopoly between Europe and the Near East for centuries. From the 8th to the 11th century, the Vikings and Varangians traded as they sailed from and to Scandinavia. Vikings sailed to Western Europe, while Varangians to Kyivan Rus' . The Hanseatic League

3150-490: The market (which consists both of individuals and other companies) at the lowest production cost . A system of international trade has helped to develop the world economy but, in combination with bilateral or multilateral agreements to lower tariffs or to achieve free trade , has sometimes harmed third-world markets for local products. Free trade is a policy by which a government does not discriminate against imports or exports by applying tariffs or subsidies. This policy

3240-401: The spice trade and grain trade have both historically been important in the development of a global, international economy. Retail trade consists of the sale of goods or merchandise from a very fixed location (such as a department store , boutique , or kiosk ), online or by mail , in small or individual lots for direct consumption or use by the purchaser. Wholesale trade is

3330-405: The terms of trade through maintaining tariffs , and that the response to this might be reciprocity in trade policy. Ricardo and others had suggested this earlier. This was taken as evidence against the universal doctrine of free trade, as it was believed that more of the economic surplus of trade would accrue to a country following reciprocal , rather than completely free, trade policies. This

3420-426: The 15th to the early 20th century, European colonial powers dominated global commerce on an unprecedented scale, giving rise to maritime trade empires with their powerful colonial trade companies (e.g., Dutch East India Company and British East India Company ) and ushering in an unprecedented global exchange (see Columbian exchange ). In the 19th century, modern banking and related international markets along with

3510-715: The 3rd millennium BCE, when Sumerians in Mesopotamia traded with the Harappan civilization of the Indus Valley . The Phoenicians were noted sea traders, traveling across the Mediterranean Sea , and as far north as Britain for sources of tin to manufacture bronze . For this purpose they established trade colonies the Greeks called emporia . Along the coast of the Mediterranean, researchers have found

3600-811: The Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans. In 1776, Adam Smith published the paper An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations . It criticized Mercantilism , and argued that economic specialization could benefit nations just as much as firms. Since the division of labour was restricted by the size of the market, he said that countries having access to larger markets would be able to divide labour more efficiently and thereby become more productive . Smith said that he considered all rationalizations of import and export controls "dupery", which hurt

3690-560: The Caribbean. During the Middle Ages , commerce developed in Europe by trading luxury goods at trade fairs. Wealth became converted into movable wealth or capital . Banking systems developed where money on account was transferred across national boundaries. Hand to hand markets became a feature of town life and were regulated by town authorities. Western Europe established a complex and expansive trade network with cargo ships being

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3780-741: The Near East. The first true maritime trade network in the Indian Ocean was by the Austronesian peoples of Island Southeast Asia . Initiated by the indigenous peoples of Taiwan and the Philippines , the Maritime Jade Road was an extensive trading network connecting multiple areas in Southeast and East Asia. Its primary products were made of jade mined from Taiwan by Taiwanese indigenous peoples and processed mostly in

3870-575: The Philippines by indigenous Filipinos, especially in Batanes , Luzon , and Palawan . Some were also processed in Vietnam , while the peoples of Malaysia , Brunei , Singapore , Thailand , Indonesia , and Cambodia also participated in the massive trading network. The maritime road is one of the most extensive sea-based trade networks of a single geological material in the prehistoric world. It

3960-476: The Stone Age by excavations in 1901. The first clear archaeological evidence of trade in manufactured goods is found in south west Asia. Archaeological evidence of obsidian use provides data on how this material was increasingly the preferred choice rather than chert from the late Mesolithic to Neolithic, requiring exchange as deposits of obsidian are rare in the Mediterranean region. Obsidian provided

4050-479: The agreement. In 1947, 23 countries agreed to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade to promote free trade. The European Union became the world's largest exporter of manufactured goods and services, the biggest export market for around 80 countries. Today, trade is merely a subset within a complex system of companies which try to maximize their profits by offering products and services to

4140-537: The best of the points where the gradients of the two curves (marginal revenue and marginal cost respectively) are equal. In the real world, it is not so easy to know exactly firm's marginal revenue and the marginal cost of last goods sold. For example, it is difficult for firms to know the price elasticity of demand for their good – which determines the MR. In interdependent markets, It means firm's profit also depends on how other firms react, game theory must be used to derive

4230-416: The cycle is often ended with the departure of the former "hit and run" entrants to the market, returning the industry to its previous state, just with a lower price and no economic profit for the incumbent firms. Economic profit can, however, occur in competitive and contestable markets in the short run, since short run economic profits attract new competitors and prices fall. Economic loss forces firms out of

4320-410: The doctrine still considered the most counterintuitive in economics : The ascendancy of free trade was primarily based on national advantage in the mid 19th century. That is, the calculation made was whether it was in any particular country's self-interest to open its borders to imports. John Stuart Mill proved that a country with monopoly pricing power on the international market could manipulate

4410-695: The earliest contact between cultures involved members of the species Homo sapiens , principally using the Danube river, at a time beginning 35,000–30,000 BP . There is evidence of the exchange of obsidian and flint during the Stone Age . Trade in obsidian is believed to have taken place in New Guinea from 17,000 BCE. The earliest use of obsidian in the Near East dates to the Lower and Middle paleolithic. Robert Carr Bosanquet investigated trade in

4500-533: The east–west trade route known as the Silk Road after the 4th century CE up to the 8th century CE, with Suyab and Talas ranking among their main centers in the north. They were the main caravan merchants of Central Asia. From the Middle Ages, the maritime republics , in particular Venice , Pisa and Genoa , played a key role in trade along the Mediterranean. From the 11th to the late 15th centuries,

4590-411: The economy and their goal is to sell raw materials or manufactured goods for profit. In the tertiary sector , businesses sell services for profit. Commerce, in contrast to the concept of business discussed above, deals with the movement and distribution of raw materials as well as finished or intermediate (but valuable) goods and services from the manufacturers to the end customers on a large scale. It

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4680-608: The fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century, a financially lucrative trade brought valuable spice to Europe from the far east, including India and China. Roman commerce allowed its empire to flourish and endure. The latter Roman Republic and the Pax Romana of the Roman empire produced a stable and secure transportation network that enabled the shipment of trade goods without fear of significant piracy , as Rome had become

4770-550: The first millennium AD. It continued up to historic times, later becoming the Maritime Silk Road. The emergence of exchange networks in the Pre-Columbian societies of and near to Mexico are known to have occurred within recent years before and after 1500 BCE. Trade networks reached north to Oasisamerica . There is evidence of established maritime trade with the cultures of northwestern South America and

4860-478: The improvement of transportation systems over time. In the Middle Ages, long-distance and large-scale commerce was still limited within continents. Banking systems developed in medieval Europe, facilitating financial transactions across national boundaries. Markets became a feature of town life, and were regulated by town authorities. With the advent of the age of exploration and oceangoing ships, commerce took an international, trans-continental stature. Currently

4950-417: The industry and prices rise till marginal revenue equals marginal cost, then reach long run equilibrium. As a result of firms jostling for market position. Once risk is accounted for, long-lasting economic profit in a competitive market is thus viewed as the result of constant cost-cutting and performance improvement ahead of industry competitors, allowing costs to be below the market-set price. Economic profit

5040-463: The industry face losing their existing customers to the new entrants, they are also forced to reduce their prices. Therefore, increased competition reduces price and cost to the minimum of the long run average costs. At this point, price equals both the marginal cost and the average total cost for each good production. Once this has occurred a perfect competition exists and economic profit is no longer available. When this occurs, economic agents outside

5130-412: The industry find no advantage to entering the market, as there is no economic profit to be gained. Then, the supply of the product stops increasing, and the price charged for the product stabilizes, settling into an equilibrium . The same is likewise true of the long run equilibria of monopolistically competitive industries, and more generally any market which is held to be contestable . Normally,

5220-410: The industry, aided by a lack of barriers to entry , until it no longer existed. When new firms enter the market, the overall supply increases. Furthermore, these intruders are forced to offer their product at a lower price to entice consumers to buy the additional supply they have created and to compete with the incumbent firms (see Monopoly profit § Persistence ). As the incumbent firms within

5310-406: The main carrier of goods; Cogs and Hulks are two examples of such cargo ships. Many ports would develop their own extensive trade networks. The English port city of Bristol traded with peoples from what is modern day Iceland, all along the western coast of France, and down to what is now Spain. During the Middle Ages, Central Asia was the economic center of the world. The Sogdians dominated

5400-427: The market again, making the long run equilibrium much more like that of a competitive industry, with no economic profit for firms and more reasonable prices for consumers. On the other hand, if a government feels it is impractical to have a competitive market—such as in the case of a natural monopoly —it will allow a monopolistic market to occur. The government will regulate the existing uncompetitive market and control

5490-427: The market share, less emphasis is placed on consumer demand than there would be in a perfectly competitive market, especially if the good provided has an inelastic demand. Government intervention in the form of restrictions and subsidies can also create uncompetitive markets. Governments can also intervene in uncompetitive markets in an attempt to raise the number of firms in the industry, but these firms cannot support

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5580-507: The market where there is competition. In order to determine if a company has achieved normal profit, they first have to calculate their economic profit. If the company's total revenue is equal to its total costs, then its economic profit is equal to zero and the company is in a state of normal profit. Normal profit occurs when resources are being used in the most efficient way at the highest and best use. Normal profit and economic profit are economic considerations while accounting profit refers to

5670-601: The material cultures of India and China. Indonesians , in particular were trading in spices (mainly cinnamon and cassia ) with East Africa using catamaran and outrigger boats and sailing with the help of the Westerlies in the Indian Ocean. This trade network expanded to reach as far as Africa and the Arabian Peninsula , resulting in the Austronesian colonization of Madagascar by the first half of

5760-461: The material to make cutting utensils or tools, although since other more easily obtainable materials were available, use was exclusive to the higher status of the tribe using "the rich man's flint". Obsidian has held its value relative to flint. Early traders traded Obsidian at distances of 900 kilometres within the Mediterranean region. Trade in the Mediterranean during the Neolithic of Europe

5850-511: The mid-20th century, the adoption of standardized shipping containers facilitated seamless and efficient intermodal freight transport , leading to a surge in international trade. By the century's end, developing countries saw their share in world trade rise from a quarter to a third. 21st century commerce is increasingly technology-driven (see e-commerce ), globalized , intricately regulated , ethically responsible and sustainability -focused, with multilateral economic integrations (like

5940-435: The monopoly's application for a higher price. Though a regulated firm will not have an economic profit as large as it would in an unregulated situation, it can still make profits well above a competitive firm in a truly competitive market. It is a standard economic assumption (although not necessarily a perfect one in the real world) that, other things being equal, a firm will attempt to maximize its profits. Given that profit

6030-463: The movement of gold and other resources sent out by Muslim traders on the Trans-Saharan trading network. Beginning in the 16th century, European merchants would purchase gold, spices, cloth, timber and slaves from West African states as part of the triangular trade . This was often in exchange for cloth , iron , or cowrie shells which were used locally as currency. Founded in 1352,

6120-488: The needs of consumers as if they were born out of a profit generated on a competitive market basis. Competition laws were created to prevent powerful firms from using their economic power to artificially create barriers to entry in an attempt to protect their economic profits. This includes the use of predatory pricing toward smaller competitors. For example, in the United States, Microsoft Corporation

6210-424: The number of firms that produce this product will increase. Eventually, the supply of the product will become relatively large, and the price of the product will reduce to the level of the average cost of production. When this finally occurs, all economic profit associated with producing and selling the product disappears, and the initial monopoly turns into a competitive industry. In the case of contestable markets,

6300-436: The price of goods in each market area is set by each market then overall profit is maximized. The social profit from a firm's activities is the accounting profit plus or minus any externalities or consumer surpluses that occur in its activity. An externality including positive externality and negative externality is an effect that production/consumption of a specific good exerts on people who are not involved. Pollution

6390-408: The price the firms charge for their product. For example, the old AT&T (regulated) monopoly, which existed before the courts ordered its breakup , had to get government approval to raise its prices. The government examined the monopoly's costs, and determined whether or not the monopoly should be able raise its price. If the government felt that the cost did not justify a higher price, it rejected

6480-431: The profit a company reports on its financial statements each period. Economic profits arise in markets which are non-competitive and have significant barriers to entry , i.e. monopolies and oligopolies . The inefficiencies and lack of competition in these markets foster an environment where firms can set prices or quantities instead of being price-takers , which is what occurs in a perfectly competitive market. In

6570-436: The protection of the international rules which govern legal relationships between independent states: see, for example, the "commercial activity exception" applicable under the United States' Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act of 1976. Trade Trade involves the transfer of goods and services from one person or entity to another, often in exchange for money. Economists refer to a system or network that allows trade as

6660-803: The recession end in the United States. Also during the war, in 1944, 44 countries signed the Bretton Woods Agreement , intended to prevent national trade barriers, to avoid depressions. It set up rules and institutions to regulate the international political economy : the International Monetary Fund and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (later divided into the World Bank $ Bank for International Settlements). These organizations became operational in 1946 after enough countries ratified

6750-681: The reliability of international trans-oceanic shipping and mailing systems and the facility of the Internet has made commerce possible between cities, regions and countries situated anywhere in the world. In the 21st century, Internet-based electronic commerce (where financial information is transferred over Internet), and its subcategories such as wireless mobile commerce and social network -based social commerce have been and continue to get adopted widely. Legislative bodies and ministries or ministerial departments of commerce regulate, promote and manage domestic and foreign commercial activities within

6840-468: The services of commercial agents and agencies. In other words, commerce encompasses a wide array of political, economical, technological, logistical, legal, regulatory, social and cultural aspects of trade on a large scale. From a marketing perspective, commerce creates time and place utility by making goods and services available to the customers at the right place and at the right time by changing their location or placement. Described in this manner, trade

6930-510: The society while mitigating its drawbacks remains vital for policymakers , businesses and other stakeholders . Commerce traces its origins to ancient localized barter systems, leading to the establishment of periodic marketplaces, and culminating in the development of currencies for efficient trade. In medieval times, trade routes (like the Silk Road ) with pivotal commercial hubs (like Venice ) connected regions and continents, enabling long-distance trade and cultural exchange . From

7020-468: The sole effective sea power in the Mediterranean with the conquest of Egypt and the near east. In ancient Greece Hermes was the god of trade (commerce) and weights and measures. In ancient Rome, Mercurius was the god of merchants, whose festival was celebrated by traders on the 25th day of the fifth month. The concept of free trade was an antithesis to the will and economic direction of

7110-428: The sovereigns of the ancient Greek states. Free trade between states was stifled by the need for strict internal controls (via taxation) to maintain security within the treasury of the sovereign, which nevertheless enabled the maintenance of a modicum of civility within the structures of functional community life. The fall of the Roman empire and the succeeding Dark Ages brought instability to Western Europe and

7200-555: The trading nation as a whole for the benefit of specific industries. In 1799, the Dutch East India Company , formerly the world's largest company, became bankrupt , partly due to the rise of competitive free trade. In 1817, David Ricardo , James Mill and Robert Torrens showed that free trade would benefit the industrially weak as well as the strong, in the famous theory of comparative advantage . In Principles of Political Economy and Taxation Ricardo advanced

7290-448: The traffic in goods that are sold as merchandise to retailers , industrial, commercial, institutional, or other professional business users, or to other wholesalers and related subordinated services. Historically, openness to free trade substantially increased in some areas from 1815 until the outbreak of World War I in 1914. Trade openness increased again during the 1920s but collapsed (in particular in Europe and North America) during

7380-1414: The umbrella of trade. On the other hand, auxiliary commercial activities (aids to trade) which can facilitate trade include commercial intermediaries , banking , credit financing and related services, transportation , packaging , warehousing , communication , advertising and insurance . Their purpose is to remove hindrances related to direct personal contact, payments , savings , funding , separation of place and time, product protection and preservation, knowledge and risk . The broader framework of commerce incorporates additional elements and factors such as laws and regulations (including intellectual property rights and antitrust laws ), policies , tariffs and trade barriers , consumers and consumer trends , producers and production strategies, supply chains and their management , financial transactions for ordinary and extraordinary business activities, market dynamics (including supply and demand ), technological innovation , competition and entrepreneurship , trade agreements , multinational corporations and small and medium-sized enterprisess (SMEs), and macroeconomic factors (like economic stability ). Commerce drives economic growth , development and prosperity , promotes regional and international interdependence , fosters cultural exchange , creates jobs , improves people's standard of living by giving them access to

7470-682: Was a symbol of spiritual and political power and privilege." In the 16th century, the Seventeen Provinces were the center of free trade, imposing no exchange controls , and advocating the free movement of goods. Trade in the East Indies was dominated by Portugal in the 16th century, the Dutch Republic in the 17th century, and the British in the 18th century. The Spanish Empire developed regular trade links across both

7560-623: Was an alliance of trading cities that maintained a trade monopoly over most of Northern Europe and the Baltic , between the 13th and 17th centuries. Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama pioneered the European spice trade in 1498 when he reached Calicut after sailing around the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of the African continent. Prior to this, the flow of spice into Europe from India

7650-570: Was controlled by Islamic powers, especially Egypt. The spice trade was of major economic importance and helped spur the Age of Discovery in Europe. Spices brought to Europe from the Eastern world were some of the most valuable commodities for their weight, sometimes rivaling gold . From 1070 onward, kingdoms in West Africa became significant members of global trade . This came initially through

7740-416: Was followed within a few years by the infant industry scenario developed by Mill promoting the theory that the government had the duty to protect young industries, although only for a time necessary for them to develop full capacity. This became the policy in many countries attempting to industrialize and out-compete English exporters. Milton Friedman later continued this vein of thought, showing that in

7830-498: Was greatest in this material. Networks were in existence at around 12,000 BCE Anatolia was the source primarily for trade with the Levant, Iran and Egypt according to Zarins study of 1990. Melos and Lipari sources produced among the most widespread trading in the Mediterranean region as known to archaeology. The Sari-i-Sang mine in the mountains of Afghanistan was the largest source for trade of lapis lazuli . The material

7920-692: Was in existence for at least 3,000 years, where its peak production was from 2000 BCE to 500 CE, older than the Silk Road in mainland Eurasia and the later Maritime Silk Road . The Maritime Jade Road began to wane during its final centuries from 500 CE until 1000 CE. The entire period of the network was a golden age for the diverse societies of the region. Sea-faring Southeast Asians also established trade routes with Southern India and Sri Lanka as early as 1500 BC, ushering an exchange of material culture (like catamarans , outrigger boats , sewn-plank boats, and paan) and cultigens (like coconuts , sandalwood , bananas , and sugarcane ); as well as connecting

8010-576: Was initially convicted of breaking Anti-Trust Law and engaging in anti-competitive behaviour in order to form one such barrier in United States v. Microsoft . After a successful appeal on technical grounds, Microsoft agreed to a settlement with the Department of Justice in which they were faced with stringent oversight procedures and explicit requirements designed to prevent this predatory behaviour. With lower barriers, new firms can enter into

8100-560: Was most largely traded during the Kassite period of Babylonia beginning 1595 BCE. Adam Smith traces the origins of commerce to the very start of transactions in prehistoric times. Apart from traditional self-sufficiency , trading became a principal faculty for prehistoric people, who bartered what they had for goods and services from each other. Anthropologists have found no evidence of barter systems that did not exist alongside systems of credit. The earliest evidence of writing in

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