THE PREHISTORIC ORIGINS OF EUROPEAN ECONOMIC INTEGRATION
George Grantham
Abstract It appears likely that at its peak the classical economy was almost as large of Western Europe during Industrial Revolution. The following review archeological and document evidence indicates three events occurring in first half millennium BC trigger emergence a specialized integrated after 500 BC: (i) growth demand for silver medium exchange economies Near East; (ii) technical breakthroughs hull construction sailing rig merchant shipping late Bronze Age; (iii) perfection ferrous metallurgy into European hinterland. This last event raised agricultural productivity to level capable supporting occupational specialization needed sustain vigorous trading economy. To these initial causes may be added diffusion alphabetic writing. While it did not create opportunities long-distance trade, writing supplied means responding on scale enough economically matter.
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