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Social Capital and Collusion: The Case of Merchant Guilds

Author

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  • Dessi, R.
  • Ogilvie, S.

Abstract

Merchant guilds have been portrayed as ‘social networks’ that generated beneficial ‘social capital’ by sustaining shared norms, effectively transmitting information, and successfully undertaking collective action. This social capital, it is claimed, benefited society as a whole by enabling rulers to commit to providing a secure trading environment for alien merchants. But was this really the case? We develop a new model of the emergence, rise and eventual decline of European merchant guilds which explores the collusive relationship between rulers and guilds, and calls into question the prevailing positive view of merchant guilds. We then confront the model’s predictions with the available historical data. The empirical evidence strongly support our model and refutes existing theories. Our findings show that merchant guilds used their social capital for socially harmful as well as beneficial ends.

Suggested Citation

  • Dessi, R. & Ogilvie, S., 2004. "Social Capital and Collusion: The Case of Merchant Guilds," Cambridge Working Papers in Economics 0417, Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge.
    • Handle: RePEc:cam:camdae:0417
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    Cited by:

    1. Larrain Aylwin, M.J. & Prüfer, J.O., 2014. "Business Associations, Lobbying, and Endogenous Institutions," Other publications TiSEM 99d2d002-87d2-4d8e-b1d9-8, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    2. Roberta Dessì & Salvatore Piccolo, 2008. "Two is Company, N is a Crowd? Merchant Guilds and Social Capital," CSEF Working Papers 202, Centre for Studies in Economics and Finance (CSEF), University of Naples, Italy, revised 12 Jul 2009.
    3. Larrain Aylwin, M.J. & Prüfer, J.O., 2014. "Business Associations, Lobbying, and Endogenous Institutions," Discussion Paper 2014-071, Tilburg University, Center for Economic Research.
    4. Emanuela Migliaccio & Thierry Verdier, 2018. "On the Spatial Diffusion of Cooperation with Endogenous Matching Institutions," Games, MDPI, vol. 9(3), pages 1-27, August.
    5. Xingqiang Du & Jianying Weng & Quan Zeng & Hongmei Pei, 2017. "Culture, Marketization, and Owner-Manager Agency Costs: A Case of Merchant Guild Culture in China," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 143(2), pages 353-386, June.
    6. Dessi, Roberta & Ogilvie, Sheilagh, 2004. "The Political Economy of Merchant Guilds: Commitment or Collusion ?," IDEI Working Papers 278, Institut d'Économie Industrielle (IDEI), Toulouse.
    7. Roberta Dessí & Sheilagh Olgivie, 2003. "Social Capital and Collusion: The Case of Merchant Guilds," CESifo Working Paper Series 1037, CESifo.
    8. Dessí, Roberta & Piccolo, Salvatore, 2016. "Merchant guilds, taxation and social capital," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 90-110.
    9. Ran Zhou & Yali Zhao, 2024. "Alien merchant chambers and enterprise innovation: Evidence from China," American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 83(3), pages 527-554, May.
    10. Larrain Aylwin, M.J. & Prüfer, J.O., 2014. "Business Associations, Lobbying, and Endogenous Institutions," Other publications TiSEM bb36b0e2-f17f-4d76-8637-a, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    11. Sheilagh Ogilvie, 2007. "'Whatever Is, Is Right'?, Economic Institutions in Pre-Industrial Europe (Tawney Lecture 2006)," CESifo Working Paper Series 2066, CESifo.
    12. Mark Lorenzen, 2007. "Social Capital and Localised Learning: Proximity and Place in Technological and Institutional Dynamics," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 44(4), pages 799-817, April.
    13. Goran Sumkoski, 2018. "Regulation and social capital," Journal of Social and Economic Development, Springer;Institute for Social and Economic Change, vol. 20(1), pages 152-173, April.
    14. Xiu, Zongfeng & Liu, Ran & Feng, Pengshuo & Yin, Jingwei, 2023. "Does social culture matter for firms' access to trade credit? Evidence from China," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    15. Ogilvie, Sheilagh & Carus, A.W., 2014. "Institutions and Economic Growth in Historical Perspective," Handbook of Economic Growth, in: Philippe Aghion & Steven Durlauf (ed.), Handbook of Economic Growth, edition 1, volume 2, chapter 8, pages 403-513, Elsevier.
    16. Li Ren & Yanping Cheng, 2025. "Sustainable Development of Traditional Business Culture: Merchant Guild Culture and Enterprise Innovation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(3), pages 1-25, January.
    17. Pacala Anca, 2016. "The Modern Enterprise - Successor of Business Organization Forms in Ancient Rome and Medieval Europe," Oradea Journal of Business and Economics, University of Oradea, Faculty of Economics, vol. 1(1), pages 7-16, March.

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    JEL classification:

    • N73 - Economic History - - Economic History: Transport, International and Domestic Trade, Energy, and Other Services - - - Europe: Pre-1913

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