260 Boundaries and Beyond
businesses. In the beginning, they mainly supplied the foreign traders
with daily necessities or participated in the peddling trade, since without
even the minimum capital to invest, they were in no position to exchange
commodities in bulk. However, more and more of them began to pursue
adventurous undertakings by sailing overseas.
The local gentry were never slow to respond. Their wealth and
prestige in local society enabled them to conduct large-scale maritime
businesses. From time to time, these gentry-merchants were severely
criticized when the imperial ban on maritime activities was strictly
followed by those ofβicials who had been sent from the Court. As
outsiders, they were not part of this interest group and were principally
concerned with law and order. Nevertheless, the eroding force of
corruption meant that the bureaucratic machine lost its grip on enforcing
the restrictions on the sea-going businesses. Mutual understanding
and collaboration βlourished between the local ofβicials and the gentry-
merchants. To gain full control, the gentry-merchants often acted against
the interests of peasant intruders from outside their camp and instigated
the government forces to suppress the latter’s activities. Many of the
peasant participants were treated as members of piratical bands and
were therefore eventually forced to turn to these activities for survival.
http://www.ebook3000.com