One classic example of this kind of behavior by the

One classic example of this kind of behavior by the state is the contrast between
China and Portugal in 15 th and 16 th century. Portugal discovered the route to Asia.
Though not so long before that, the Chinese were the major maritime powers of
the medieval world up to the early 15 th century. But then in the 15 th century, china
disappeared from the sea whereas Portugal developed its knowledge of seas
routes progressively.
Why this happened? Because of the difference in the behavior of the states in the
two countries. Portugal is a small country on the South-Western fringe of Europe.
It’s partly a Mediterranean country. It also has foot hall on the Atlantic Ocean.
The great item of trade in medieval Europe was spices which came largely from
India and Indonesia. It was required for preservation of food before refrigeration.
So spices were in great demand in medieval Europe. Trade in spices was
monopolized by the city state of Venice which imported spices through Egypt
and Ceria over land. In the middle of the 15 th century Turks occupied
Constantinople i.e. modern day Istanbul and cut off the European trade routes
which brought spices. Prices of spices in Europe sky rocketed. Portuguese
realized that there are huge fortunes to be made if an alternative trade route was
discovered that would bring spices to Europe. It was important for Portugal
because it is a poor country with very little cultivable land. Most of its income
came from sea, fishing, exporting forest products, wine etc. Portugal being on the

south western extremity of Europe were the closest to the African coast. The govt.
of Portugal supported the search operations as not much revenue can be generated
from the land. The landed aristocracy everywhere over Europe did not want to
pay taxes. The govt. found an alternative source of income in traders and
merchants and the sea routes. It was in its interest to encourage maritime ventures.
So the king set up schools to give training in marine technology.
Why did EU discover China & not other way round?
The Chinese were the major maritime powers of the medieval world up to the
early 15 th century. For China the concern was not sea but protection of its northern
land borders against the invaders of central Asia like Mongolia. Nomadic tribes
of central Asia lived in very dry and inhospitable regions and were attracted to
rich fertile agricultural land of central and south China and constantly attempted
to break into territory of China. To prevent this, they built the Great wall of China
which was defended by a northern army. This great wall of china extended into
the region which was a desert/ semi desert. The army had to be supplied from
agricultural regions far to the south. Therefore, the main problem of Chinese
imperial state was to maintain the army at the northern border and it had to ensure
a bureaucratic system that would extract the agricultural surplus of central and
south china and convey it to northern army. Until 1430s main way of supplying
the northern army was by sea. Balance of power in imperial China always rested
with bureaucrats who were involved with land and with supplying the northern
army. As long as these bureaucrats needed the sea in order to supply the northern