6 - The transformation of commerce

Summary

THE TURKIYYA FRAMEWORK

As Lejean wrote in a report in 1862, the imposition of the Turkish colonial regime radically disrupted and changed traditional commerce. It was widely held, not only in the Ottoman Empire, that trade was vital to economic development and prosperity, but the fact that commerce between unequal partners has a tendency to turn into exploitation was given less consideration. The Sudanese traders, confronted with the new situation, sought to reformulate their strategies in order to cope with the new restrictions as well as to take advantage of the new opportunities.

With so much emphasis on commercial exploitation it was only natural that merchants of all categories, both local and foreign, came to play a significant, if not always heroic role in the spread of the colonial economy. However, in areas where huge profits were expected, the government tried as long as they could to keep the independent traders out, and for this and several other reasons, the relationship between the Turks and the traders fluctuated. The Turkish Sudan attracted foreign traders and speculators of every type, some of whom made fortunes. Among the Sudanese traders, Ja'aliyyin and others, some learned the new rules of the game quickly and became successful, particularly in the diaspora, whereas the majority remained or became petty traders.

An economic system may be defined substantively as the production, circulation and consumption of commodities. The bulk of the commodities in circulation were foodstuffs, natural products and manufactured commodities of local, regional and foreign origin.