Why Cheering for Long-Distance Trade Entrepreneurs Matters – Then and Now
By Lorenzo Bona
Significant pro-market studies have emphasized a striking pattern in economic history: throughout time, governments have often discouraged, rather than fostered, the growth of long-distance trade and entrepreneurial freedom – as illustrated by China’s economic policies during the 1970s and the protectionist measures adopted by France during the so-called Colbertism of the 17th century.
These studies also tend to highlight another revealing trend: despite frequent barriers to private initiative, humanity has shown a remarkable ability to adapt and expand – almost like a living organism, reaching across the globe to gather the diverse elements needed for survival.
This global dynamic reflects a profound realization: no single region in our world can supply all the essentials for a life as comfortable and fulfilling as possible.
Interestingly, this evolution owes much to individuals from remote epochs – such as merchants, navigators, and pioneers – who challenged instinctive reflexes like excessive altruism, rigid solidarity, and fixed attitudes of suspicion toward strangers or people from other places
Rather than acting solely for the clear benefit of their close-knit circles, they were often motivated by the possibility of personal gain. Yet in pursuing their own personal interests, they ventured beyond familiar situations, embraced uncertainty, and initiated transformative processes with far-reaching benefits.
These preliminary observations may invite reflection and abstract lines of reasoning that perhaps could offer new insights into our current reality – especially in today’s uncertain and complex times, where the phrase 'trade war' echoes with uneasy frequency in many contemporary debates.
In this spirit, let us consider an alternative and entirely imaginary development in human history: a world in which the spark that once started long-distance trade never ignited.
Imagine primitive societies that, instead of having the good fortune to witness the emergence of intrepid individuals who dared to venture beyond the known, did not experience such luck and remained entirely shaped by suspicion and a deep attachment to the familiar. The likely path of development for these societies would have been one in which each community, raising invisible walls and preferring the security of life in small, separated groups, ultimately missed the opportunities offered by continuous efforts to progressively expand exchange relationships.
Had such a path prevailed during the Bronze Age and beyond, the story of civilization might have followed a vastly different trajectory. Instead of leveraging the potential of commerce to acquire special tools, rare fabrics, or luxurious goods from distant places to enhance their collective well-being, these societies would have overlooked the value of many things beyond their immediate reach. Many materials that could have enhanced toolmaking, resources for crafting luxury items, and spices for flavor or food preservation — all from distant lands — would have remained mysteries rather than marvels we now take for granted in our reality.
Interdisciplinary studies today might have focused not on the miracle of globalization but on the stagnation of disconnected societies. Without long-distance commerce, innovations would have spread slowly, if at all. Economies would have remained rudimentary, limited to the narrow resources of their own soil, while cultural exchange – a sort of invisible thread capable of connecting people from distant places in dynamics of growing mutual understanding – might never have emerged.
In such a hypothetical world, even in modern times, we might witness societies still defined by local enclaves, perpetually cautious of unfamiliar outsiders, trapped in cycles of scarcity rather than progress. The idea that exchange could multiply resources, inspire cooperation, or elevate productivity would seem a fantasy, rather than a cornerstone of economic evolution.
Fortunately for us, this was not the chosen path. Humanity, as noted above, was shaped by countless individuals – merchants, navigators, pioneers, and other innovators – who, through their work, helped expand knowledge, population, and welfare in ways that often seemed more like an unintended outcome than the result of a deliberate plan
In today’s world, this legacy continues. Across the globe, a myriad of companies — not only large multinationals but increasingly also small and mid-sized firms — are following in the footsteps of those early visionaries. Like their historical predecessors, they continue to take risks, embrace the unknown, and pursue international growth strategies that not only serve their own interests but also contribute, steadily, to the advancement of human civilization.
In light of all this, even in these complex times, it is a source of confidence and cautious optimism to observe the energy and forward-looking approach of their efforts.
And for this reason, it’s hard not to cheer, strongly, for the success of all those companies and entrepreneurs committed to the pursuit of long-distance trade