A naval history of global trade, policy and governance

Titos Ritsatos

Athenian Politician (Democrat) 5th century BC

Period of crisis, threat of existence due to Persian invasion

483 BC, new large deposit of silver located in Lavrion, worth over 100 talants per year

Opposition leader Aristides (Republican), proposed the wealth to be distributed to the people

Themistocles proposed the treasure to be used in order to build a fleet of 200 triremes

Using a primitive Public-Private Partnership form (TRIIRARCHIA), in order to manage optimal financing and maintenance

Athenians voted for his proposal Three years later, the new fleet saved

Athens the Greeks and the so called Western Civilization from the Persian yoke

Emperor of China, Ming Dynasty (1360 – 1424)

Made Beijing the new Capital Constructed the Forbidden City Reopened the Grand Canal (1000 klm

long) Issued the YONGLE Encyclopedia Commissioned sea voyages of Zheng He

Built a great fleet Established trade and influence from the

east coast of Africa to the Pacific Ocean Built the TREASURE SHIPS, nine musted

wooden vessels 400 ft long, the size of a 30.000 DWT Handy

Sailed over the Cape of Good Hope Made China an International Naval Power,

able to conquer known world

Chinese ruling classes thought of the Fleet as a threat to sustain power

Viewed everything coming from abroad as a poison to their culture

Entered into a recurring spiral of political and economical isolation

Finally, ordered the destruction of the Fleet CHINA LOST ITS MAIN COMPETITIVE

ADVANTAGE, THE ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE BY SEA AND TRADE

Today we live through a Global Economic Crisis

China reaches new “IMPERIUM” stage via its production capacity and productivity

We need a Global Economic Governance Pointing towards a new international

division of labor, …, where the Greeks may be called to be the global product distributors and facilitators…