Some factors affecting the prosperity of trade in Ethiopia, 14th–18th Centuries

Trade has long been one of the significant economic activities in the Ethiopian region and the Horn of Africa. However, some challenges had been hampering the development and prosperity of the trade. Thus, the main purpose of this article is to explore factors that affected the development and prosp...

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Main Authors: Mengistie Zewdu Tessema, Wondemeneh Adera Ayalew
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2024-12-01
Series:Cogent Arts & Humanities
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311983.2024.2335783
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author Mengistie Zewdu Tessema
Wondemeneh Adera Ayalew
author_facet Mengistie Zewdu Tessema
Wondemeneh Adera Ayalew
author_sort Mengistie Zewdu Tessema
collection DOAJ
description Trade has long been one of the significant economic activities in the Ethiopian region and the Horn of Africa. However, some challenges had been hampering the development and prosperity of the trade. Thus, the main purpose of this article is to explore factors that affected the development and prosperity of trade in Ethiopia between the 14th and the 17th centuries. To carry out this study, both primary and secondary sources are employed. Using thematic analysis, a qualitative research approach, the study attempts to explore the factors that handicapped the development of trade in Ethiopia in the period understudy. This study revealed that the underdevelopment of trade during the period was not associated to a single factor. Rather factors like negative social attitude toward trade; the state’s limited control over the origin of items of trade; uncertain access to the Sea; the shift in the diplomacy of the state and limited diversity in the items of trade; and the absence of currency had contributed for the underdevelopment of trade. Thereby, this article argues that the limited growth of trade is associated with multiple factors which were hampering the commercial sector from attaining its utmost level of prosperity.
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spelling doaj-art-f890bc6dbd6e4a7ea78cea59a50a3d1f2025-08-20T02:39:32ZengTaylor & Francis GroupCogent Arts & Humanities2331-19832024-12-0111110.1080/23311983.2024.2335783Some factors affecting the prosperity of trade in Ethiopia, 14th–18th CenturiesMengistie Zewdu Tessema0Wondemeneh Adera Ayalew1Department of History and Heritage Management, Woldia University, EthiopiaDepartment of History and Heritage Management, Woldia University, EthiopiaTrade has long been one of the significant economic activities in the Ethiopian region and the Horn of Africa. However, some challenges had been hampering the development and prosperity of the trade. Thus, the main purpose of this article is to explore factors that affected the development and prosperity of trade in Ethiopia between the 14th and the 17th centuries. To carry out this study, both primary and secondary sources are employed. Using thematic analysis, a qualitative research approach, the study attempts to explore the factors that handicapped the development of trade in Ethiopia in the period understudy. This study revealed that the underdevelopment of trade during the period was not associated to a single factor. Rather factors like negative social attitude toward trade; the state’s limited control over the origin of items of trade; uncertain access to the Sea; the shift in the diplomacy of the state and limited diversity in the items of trade; and the absence of currency had contributed for the underdevelopment of trade. Thereby, this article argues that the limited growth of trade is associated with multiple factors which were hampering the commercial sector from attaining its utmost level of prosperity.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311983.2024.2335783TradeEthiopiafactors affecting tradeunderdevelopmentSamuel Adu-Gyamfi, History and Political Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology College of Arts and Social Science, Kumasi, GhanaHistory
spellingShingle Mengistie Zewdu Tessema
Wondemeneh Adera Ayalew
Some factors affecting the prosperity of trade in Ethiopia, 14th–18th Centuries
Cogent Arts & Humanities
Trade
Ethiopia
factors affecting trade
underdevelopment
Samuel Adu-Gyamfi, History and Political Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology College of Arts and Social Science, Kumasi, Ghana
History
title Some factors affecting the prosperity of trade in Ethiopia, 14th–18th Centuries
title_full Some factors affecting the prosperity of trade in Ethiopia, 14th–18th Centuries
title_fullStr Some factors affecting the prosperity of trade in Ethiopia, 14th–18th Centuries
title_full_unstemmed Some factors affecting the prosperity of trade in Ethiopia, 14th–18th Centuries
title_short Some factors affecting the prosperity of trade in Ethiopia, 14th–18th Centuries
title_sort some factors affecting the prosperity of trade in ethiopia 14th 18th centuries
topic Trade
Ethiopia
factors affecting trade
underdevelopment
Samuel Adu-Gyamfi, History and Political Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology College of Arts and Social Science, Kumasi, Ghana
History
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311983.2024.2335783
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