Exploring Capitalism in the Economy of Early Modern Gujarat: The Structure and Organization of Textile Production and the Market in Surat in the Eighteenth Century

Objective/Context: This study has two main goals. First, it explores the structural and organizational dynamics of textile industry market in early modern India, eighteenth-century Gujarat particular. In this context, paper also examines how ascendancy English East India Company political economy Western region’s transition to a colonial impacted industry, market, relationship between weavers merchants. Methodology: draws on literature production trade, as well capitalism uses evidence about from records Dutch Companies. Originality: argues that merchants Surat/Gujarat was dynamic, complementary, at times, contentious. None them able dominate relationship, could not substitute coercion-based relation for market-based one. Conclusions: The dynamics—such product specialization innovation, division labor, contract system, forward buying—point existence commercial economy. because extraordinary diversity people engaged their varying professional transactional experiences, is relevant recognize represents mode co-existed with others