Running the rivers : the North West Company and the creation of a global enterprise, 1778-1821
The North West Company, a Montreal based fur trading corporation, dominated by Scots, developed a commercial operation that between 1779 and 1821 extended to the Atlantic and Pacific axes of the British Empire. The enterprise emerged at a critical juncture in the development of Empire. It was a period of colossal growth and partial dismemberment as well as one of redefinition. Adapting Atlantic and trans-oceanic perspectives this dissertation examines the socio-entrepreneurial networks forged by the North West Company as it sought to expand its commercial reach to encompass Montreal, Quebec, London, New York, Calcutta, Bombay and Canton in a hitherto unexplored form of global economy. To date Imperial and fur trade studies have viewed the fur trade within the confines of a British North Atlantic triangle. This historiographical tendency towards a geographically limited concept of the trade has been exacerbated by the perceived political and economic dislocations brought about by the loss of the American colonies in 1783. The dissertation revises historical orthodoxies to reveal the scale and scope of the fur trade as a pan-imperial activity. Exploring the Company's multi-layered networks highlights not only
MacQuarrie, Aisling
North West Company
Running the rivers : the North West Company and the creation of a global enterprise, 1778-1821. The North West Company, a Montreal based fur trading corporation, dominated by Scots, developed a commercial operation that between 1779 and 1821 extended to the Atlantic and Pacific axes of the British Empire. The enterprise emerged at a critical juncture in the development of Empire. It was a period of colossal growth and partial dismemberment as well as one of redefinition. Adapting Atlantic and trans-oceanic perspectives this dissertation examines the socio-entrepreneurial networks forged by the North West Company as it sought to expand its commercial reach to encompass Montreal, Quebec, London, New York, Calcutta, Bombay and Canton in a hitherto unexplored form of global economy. To date Imperial and fur trade studies have viewed the fur trade within the confines of a British North Atlantic triangle. This historiographical tendency towards a geographically limited concept of the trade has been exacerbated by the perceived political and economic dislocations brought about by the loss of the American colonies in 1783. The dissertation revises historical orthodoxies to reveal the scale and scope of the fur trade as a pan-imperial activity. Exploring the Company's multi-layered networks highlights not only
running river north west company creation global enterprise north west company base fur trading corporation dominate scots develop commercial operation extend atlantic british_empire enterprise emerge critical juncture development empire period growth partial dismemberment well redefinition atlantic trans oceanic perspective examine socio entrepreneurial network forge north west company seek expand commercial reach encompass london new_york calcutta hitherto unexplored form global economy date imperial fur trade study view fur trade within_confines british north_atlantic historiographical tendency_towards geographically limit concept trade exacerbate perceived political_economic dislocation bring loss american colony revise historical orthodoxy reveal scale scope fur trade pan imperial activity exploring company multi_layered network highlight