The Uses and Abuses of Nationalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Uses and Abuses of Nationalism - Essay Example The religious systems influenced the way commerce and trade has been done since the ancient times. During the 17th Century, there was a disagreement in establishing what was right according to the religious beliefs at the time. A rift had emerged between the Protestants and the Catholics, leading to the northern European nations’ interest in â€Å"trade and commerce† (896). The transition from Catholicism to Protestant among many Europeans created a transformation in commerce. Watson says, â€Å"New mercantile classes were replacing the traditional military and landowning aristocracies as the main political force.† (896).This demonstrates the influence of religion on trade and commerce during the ancient times. However, the influence of religious systems has continued to be minimal with time. In the modern day society, the input of the religious systems in matters of commerce and trade is almost inexistent. The change has been characterized by religious tolerance and freedom of religion as enshrined in the bill of rights. Colonization helped shape trade and commerce in the European countries as well as those of their colonies. Courtesy of British colonization, America sprung to become a giant economy partly because most of the individuals who embarked on building the country had a great background. Watson supports this argument by mentioning that, â€Å"Britain had her American colonies†¦ she had emerged as the most powerful of the maritime nations† (897). Some of the Britain’s benefits came from the trade and taxes that were levied on its colonies, an aspect that facilitated the growth of the economy. Slavery was a key component of economic growth, in an attempt to maintain supremacy and high economic output western countries pioneered by Portugal engaged in slave trade. It began around 1444 despite criticism from several quarters, especially from key