Local suppliers of credit in the Third World, 1750-1960

This book of essays on indigenous credit systems in Asia, Africa and Latin America has its origins in the UK Third World Economic History and Development Group's biennial conference held in 1988, and reflects the wide spread of interests characteristic of that group. The nine papers focus on Argentina, Natal, West Africa, Zanzibar, South-East Asia, Singapore, Gujerat (India) and central Japan; they demonstrate the variety and vitality of pre-European credit systems, their resilience under colonial rule, and their ability to create regional trading networks and capital markets despite European rivalry.