TITLE:
An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations from Shipping: The Paradigm of Greece—Part I, from Origin to 1950
AUTHORS:
Alexandros M. Goulielmos
KEYWORDS:
A Nation by the Name Ellas, Adam Smith, Alexander the Great, Geography of Greece and the Islands, The Greek-Owned & Greek-Flagged Shipping from Origin to 1950
JOURNAL NAME:
Modern Economy,
Vol.13 No.5,
May
12,
2022
ABSTRACT: Greeks were sailors,
shipowners and merchants for 10,000 continuous years. They created a strong
navy of 1186 ships in 2000 BC. The navy enabled Greeks to create over 100
colonies in the Mediterranean, including the conquest of Troy and the defeat of
the Persians in 480 BC at Salamis. The tradition has been maintained over more
than 165 generations, even at times when Greece was occupied by the Romans and
the Ottomans. The reasons for this long-standing tradition are examined. Even
today, in 2022, Greek-owned shipping leads many glorious shipping nations such
as Japan, China and UK. The reasons for this tradition can be found in the
economy of Greece, the geography of Greece as an archipelago, and the
international and mobile character of the Greek people. Greek shipowners were
open to innovation, but with a certain delay in the particular introduction of
steam, and faster in establishing offices in other countries where business
could be conducted. In addition, the Greek state saw shipping as “the chicken
producing the golden eggs” and asked at in wrong time for buying ships.