A new world order

In 1700, the British Empire was a distant gleam in the eye of traders from the East India Company who had set up mercantile posts along India's busy port towns. India was a prize catch. Though fragmented, it had a population of 165 million and the world's largest economy. China was the world's second most populous nation with 138 million people. It was also the world's second largest economy after India. Together, the two Asian giants produced over 50% of global economic output. The yet-to-be United States was still a smattering of 13 British colonies.

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