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History of Regional Trade in Southeast Asia: Singapore as an Entrepôt book cover

1st Edition

History of Regional Trade in Southeast Asia Singapore as an Entrepôt

By Atsushi Kobayashi Copyright 2026
216 Pages 33 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

216 Pages 33 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge
Also available as eBook on:
This book explores maritime Southeast Asia’s trade development during the long nineteenth century, with a focus on the role of Singapore as a regional trade hub. Classical literature attributes the trade growth in modern Southeast Asia to the progress of Western colonisation and assumed Singapore’s prosperity as a result of her status as a free port-city for British economic influence over Asia.... Read more

Introduction: The Modern Global Economy, Regional Trading System, and Entrepôt

PART I Emergence of the Lion City and Intra-Regional Trade

1 Origins of Singapore’s Prosperity: Entrepôt for the Pre-1820 Intra-Asian Trade

2 Emerging Singapore: Quantification of Southeast Asian Trade, 1828–73

3 Evolution of Intra-Regional Trade Centred on Singapore, 1874–1913

PART II Commodity Circulation, Merchants’ Businesses, and Market Integration

4 Formation of Entrepôt System in Singapore: Trade of Cotton Goods and Southeast Asian Products, 1830–70

5 Intra-Regional Market Integration via Singapore: Development of Rice Trade, 1828–70

6 From Entrepôt to Staple Port: Macroeconomic Transformation and Mercantile Adaptation

PART III Money Flows, Settlement Systems, and Macroeconomic Adjustment

7 Entrepôt Settlement System: Development of Money Supply and Foreign Exchange in the Mid-Nineteenth Century

8 Bimetallic Exchange Rates in Singapore: Adjustment for the Balance of Payment and Bullion Market in the Mid-Nineteenth Century

9 Money, Price, and Gains of Intra-Regional Trade: Purchasing Power Parity and Terms of Trade

Conclusions: The Rise of Global Entrepôt

Biography

Atsushi Kobayashi is Associate Professor at the Graduate School of Economics, Nagoya University, Japan. His research into Asian economic history has been funded by a grant from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), Suntory Foundation, and JFE 21st Century Foundation.

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