The title of this scholarly text is something of a misnomer:
its contents cover all aspects of the production of cotton cloth, not just the
twisting of fibers into thread. A quick glance at this title might also suggest
a much broader topic than is actually found here: the authors focus on the
history of cotton textiles, not wool, flax, hemp, or silk, although those
fibers influenced and were often intertwined with the development of cotton
production and trade. Rather than a single narrative, this is a collection of essays
by twenty scholars from nine countries, based on three continents. As such, it
provides quick-takes on many disparate aspects of the development of cotton
production, from which one can appreciate its truly global influence in the
years described.
The research described here is
an outgrowth of a project and several conferences of the Global Economic
History Network, based at the London School of Economics from 2003-2007.
It is published as the sixteenth volume in the Pasold Studies in Textile
History series, and appears to be more generalized than most. The research
often draws on painstaking analysis of fresh sources. Examples include merchant
inventories, commercial correspondence and account books, and pawn shop
records, along with government documents. Although many studies emphasize
economic history, this one also includes the impact of cotton production on
social and cultural developments. For example, the quality, complexity and
rarity of certain fabrics had great influence on their monetary value, which
eventually contributed to the material culture of emerging consumer societies.
Part I focuses on the various
regions where cotton was produced between 1200 and 1800. During this period, India was the primary cotton production center of the world
with many regions of the subcontinent involved. Over six hundred years, many
technological improvements were made to the manufacturing process there, and
the division of labor and systems of trade that supported it. The export of
cotton cloth often allowed these producers to purchase foreign goods for Indian
use. Subsequent chapters focus on the emergence of cotton production in China,
Europe, the Ottoman Empire, Africa, and Southeast Asia. There is little if any
attempt in this section of the text to compare and contrast developments in
each region, but these are topics that could be explored through student
research.
According to the editors,
cotton cloth was the world’s first global commodity, and the chapters in Part
II trace developments through that lens. Content relates more directly to trade
and consumption of cotton textiles while new players appear on the global
stage, specifically the Dutch and the Japanese, along with consumers in the
Atlantic World. Part III focuses on revolutionary changes resulting from
significant technological advances in Europe, beginning in England, and the
impact of mercantilism on markets worldwide in the eighteenth and nineteenth
centuries. Several articles in this section consider how these developments led
to vast expansion of European manufacturing, and the precipitous decline of
cotton production in Asia, especially India. However, as the editors point out,
Europe’s domination did not go unchallenged. Regions like the Indian
subcontinent still benefited from specialized manufacturing, such as producing
different ways to decorate cloth that appealed to the tastes of various
markets. The continued role of other fibers, eventually including synthetic
ones, was also significant. And it is rather ironic that since the late
twentieth century most cotton manufacturing is once again based in Asia.
Each article in this text is
relatively short, no more than twenty-five pages, and each concludes with a
straightforward summary, an asset to those pressed for time. Many chapters are
enhanced by extensive use of maps, charts, graphs, illustrations, as well as
black and white photographs clarifying the narrative. The text also contains a
glossary—very helpful to the novice in this area—and an extensive
bibliography for those seeking additional information. Such supporting
material, along with the writers’ straightforward language, should make this a
popular reference for AP or undergraduate students seeking information about
the development and impact of cotton textiles on the world. Its use is highly
recommended as a reference in world and global history courses, courses in the
history of technology, and in economics and sociological courses as well. However,
its organization and cost would prohibit its adoption as a more frequently used
supplement.
Jane Weber is a retired public school Social Studies teacher
and administrator. She is currently Adjunct Professor at Nashua Community
College, where she teaches history courses, and at Keene State College, where
she oversees students preparing to be Social Studies teachers. She can be
reached at jweber@ccsnh.edu. |
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