OUR ONLY RIVALRY FEATURING ACTUAL WARFARE, INCLUDING GALLEYS AND ADMIRALS, TREACH- ERYAND MURDER. THOSEARE MERELY SOME OF ITS CHARMS

摘要

The italian maritime republics invented many nowfamiliar features of the business world. It started with tax breaks. Venice and Genoa sat out the feudal era because they didn't have the land needed to produce surpluses-Venice is in a lagoon, and Genoa is hemmed in by mountains. Butthey were in the sweet spotfortrade. Bylending their navies to rulers fending off invaders, they won special privilegesto trade without paying tariffs.