By understanding the international trade of the cochineal, it is easy to comprehend it's importance in world trade. Through most of the 16th, 17th, 18th centuries, the Spanish controlled the trade of the insect1. Their monopoly created many enemies from other European superpowers. It caused piracy of both cargo, the cochineal, and the nopal plant. But still, the Spanish shipped the cochineal all throughout the world. By examining the trade of the cochineal at each stage, helps with understanding the international relations of the early modern period. Their relationships change over the course of the insects movement, depending on whether they are the importers or the exporters2. Those who had the control over the cochineal, had more agency in how and where to trade the dye. Through the map, it can be seen how interconnected the world was because of the importance of one bug.
The first concern is getting the cochineal out of the Americas. The trade between the Spanish mainlands and their colonies was important to international trade. While sometimes the Spanish would send the cargo straight from the colonies to other countries, they would also send it to Spain and have it shipped out from their ports. Moreover, sometimes the cargo did not reach its destination whether by pirates or by natural disasters. The loss of cargo means the loss of profit, not only for Spain but also for other European markets3. Other European powers understood the profit. London carefully tracked the importation to understand what rich land the Spanish controlled in the Americas. There were a variety of Spanish trading ports, both in the Caribbean and Americas, but also in the Spanish Mainland, but all cochineal imports had to port at Cadiz before making its way throughout Europe4. The Spanish had great power over the movement of the cochineal. Since they have a monopoly, they controlled where the insect went throughout the world.
From the Spanish Mainland or the colonies, the trade traveled all throughout Europe. Although sometimes the trade was disrupted by pirates. The trade of the cochineal to other European ports was crucial to the Spanish trade. It was both profitable and had the ability to expand their importance throughout Europe, especially the French, Dutch, and English markets5. Another important trade route was European colonies in the Americas, especially the Dutch and French, whose colonies were located in South America. Many of them used them as trading ports. The close proximity allows for a greater trade of the cochineal. It seemed to have caused jealousy with other European powers. It could have also strengthened their relationship with the Spanish. Moreover, by having ports close to the beginning of the cochineal trade was very lucrative. By using their South American colonies, the Dutch received more amounts the dried cochineal dye. It was also cheaper for them to purchase. Those with colonies closest to the production of the cochineal dye had greater power than those other European countries. They had more chances to received the bug and also at a lower cost.
Once in other European ports, those countries continue to trade the cochineal to others. Sometimes the trade stayed within Europe, which allowed the importers to control the prices for the resale the cochineal6. It is the only control of the trade they had, which gave them power over other countries. The continued international trade is an important factor during wartime. A country can issue edicts about the cargo seized from other ships. Here the French called for goodwill on her people to leave the cargo, the ship it was on, and its crew alone, and let it have a safe journey to Britain.
The European powers also traded with other foreign markets in Africa. The countries in Africa get cochineal imported, mostly from Europe. Many Europeans use the textiles dyed red to open trade relations, and something they would trade was slaves7. Also, other African countries brought the cochineal to other African markets, to further increase their profits. Since the cochineal was a very desirable commodity, those in Europe were able to resale the dyestuff, and make a good profit, as long as nothing stopped the flow of goods from place to place8. When African countries continue to resell the dye, it then increases their power over the others. The trade into Africa allows for Europe, and especially Spain, to increase their international power. They forged relationships with other countries, but also demonstrate the kinds of goods they will get if they trade with them.
The cochineal also makes the journey back across the Atlantic, when the European powers trade the insect to those in the Americas that are north of Mexico. Since European countries traded the red dye to the Americas, that means it had to travel back to the original continent. Once in and America port, sometimes it traveled to other areas. It can be seen how those in other parts, get the red dye, which demonstrates how the power even moves in the colonies from place to place. Those who had the power to transport and sell the commodity were able to control the trade through the country. Many times the cochineal is sold at auction. Sometimes Spain does directly trade with those in the Americas, without going through Europe first. Like with Africa, the cochineal increases international presence in foreign countries. It increases their power.
The trade into the Americas, and all throughout the world, increased Spain's power. They control the trade and if anyone wants the product it has to through them. While Spain continues to profit off their Mexican plantations of the cochineal, many others tried to create their own plantations, usually by treacherous means. They were able to have the most command over the cochineal dye, but through its global trade, other countries were also able to gain power. The movement of the cochineal demonstrates how countries used the influential red dye to gain power over others, usually through the reselling of the insect.
1. Edward Melillo, "Global Entomologies: Insects, Empires, and the 'Synthetic Age' in World History," Past & Present 223, no. 1 (2014): 255.
2. Steven Topik, Carlos Marichal, and Zephyr Frank, eds., From Silver to Cocaine: Latin American Commodity Chains and the Building of the World Economy, 1500-2000 (Durham: Duke University Press, 2006), 14.
3. Ruth Pike, Enterprise and Aventure: The Genoese in Seville and the Opening of the New World (Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1966),17.
4. Jeremy Baskes, Indians, Merchants, and Markets: A Reinterpretation of the Repartimiento and Spanish-Indian Economic Relations in Colonial Oaxaca, 1750-1821 (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2000), 154.
5. Brian R. Hamnett, Politics and Trade in Southern Mexico, 1750-1821 (London: Cambridge University Press, 1971), 24.
6. Pike, 17.
7. Carmella Padilla and Barbara Anderson, eds., A Red Like No Other: How Cochineal Colored the World (New York: Skira Rizzoli, 2015), 82.
8. Baskes, 143-144.