In this episode of History 102, 'WhatIfAltHist' creator Rudyard Lynch sits down with Ryan Petersen, Flexport CEO to examine how commerce shaped civilizations—from ancient maritime networks through containerization's revolution. They trace currency systems' societal impacts, exponential post-war growth, and how technological shifts from coins to the internet have transformed social organization. -- SPONSOR: SHOPIFY⁠⁠⁠⁠ Shopify powers millions of businesses worldwide, handling 10% of U.S. e-commerce. With hundreds of templates, AI tools for product descriptions, and seamless marketing campaign creation, it's like having a design studio and marketing team in one. Start your $1/month trial today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://shopify.com/cognitive⁠⁠⁠⁠ -- FOLLOW ON X: @whatifalthist (Rudyard) @LudwigNverMises (Austin) @TurpentineMedia -- TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Introduction & The Shipping Container Revolution (06:12) Comparing Pre-Modern vs. Modern Economies & Ancient Trade Networks (16:08) The European Age of Exploration & Shifting Economic Centers (18:51) Sponsor: Metaview (27:00) Italian Banking & Financing European Expansion (31:12) Technological & Biological Innovations Enabling Trade (43:32) Geography, Property Rights & Rule of Law (54:20) Free Trade vs. Protectionism Throughout History (1:00:42) Austrian vs. Keynesian Economics & Modern Distortions (1:08:28) Currency Collapse: Historical Parallels from Rome to Spain (1:11:41) Society vs. Power & Medieval Decentralization (1:16:45) The Axial Age & How Currency Transforms Society (1:20:20) The Internet, Technology & The Future of Social Organization Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices