16世纪后期英国的外贸公司及其历史作用

16世纪后期的英国，资本主义生产关系已初步形成，工农业生产得到一定程度的发展，呢绒成为英国重要的出口商品。都铎政府采取重商政策，鼓励商品出口。在此背景下，对外贸易公司纷纷成立。这些贸易公司除了在其垄断地区进行正常贸易外，同时从事地理发现和海上掠夺，并代表政府进行外交活动。外贸公司的活动，促进了英国工业的发展，对英国当时和后来的经济发展产生了深远的影响。这一时期出现的外贸合股公司这一组织形式，成为英国17世纪对北美洲和印度实行殖民占领和统治的过渡的组织形式。外贸合股公司为不列颠殖民帝国的创建做出了不可磨灭的贡献。

The British Foreign Trade Companies in the Later 16th Century and Their Historical Roles

While British production relations of capitalism were formed initially in the later 16~(th) century,wool goods had already become the most important one among the export goods. Tudor government encouraged commodity exportation with mercantilism policies,so that a lot of companies of foreign trade were established. Meantime besides the normal commercial activities within their sphere of influence, however,these companies also were engaged in geographical discovery,naval looting,as well as in foreign affairs as diplomatic agents of English govemment. The activities of foreign trade companies had brought about a great advance in English industry, and exerted a immediate and historic significance for English economic development. These joint-stock companies for foreign trade in the later 16~(th) century also became the transitional form of Britain's occupying and governing the North America and India in next century. Undoubtedly,these companies made a great contribution to the foundation of the British empire of colonialism.