Commercial Revival

Abstract

In Smith’s Scotland, the transformation of revived commerce took many forms. Professor Devine traced the transformation in his fine study of the Scottish merchant class.¹ Incomers, mostly petty, a few grand, quietly and gradually eroded the protectionism and restrictive practices of the merchant classes in the 16^th and 17^th centuries, and the officious grip of the burgesses and their monopolies on trade slipped in favour of ‘unfreemen’ and ‘unfree towns and villages’. Non-burgesses gained rights to trade on payment of small sums, and new members joined the guilds on similar terms, after only three, not seven, year apprenticeships, supplemented by a steady accession of outsiders by marriage into established families, by looser rules of apprenticeship and by purchasing their rank.²