Living Together, Working Together

This chapter tackles the collaborative relationships between merchants. Even if they work alone, in a partnership or as part of a larger corporate body, merchants rely on connections with other traders for issues such as accessing information about distant lands. Corporate structures and the common standards imposed across international commerce in England had helped strengthen the stability of the networks between traders. Entangled business interests were the only form of connection in the commercial community. However, the connection has led to strengthened relationships between merchants, shared information, and the enforcement of behavioural standards. The chapter also discusses how merchants enforce regulation and order in the fast-changing trading landscape.