The Byzantine Empire's economy has always been regarded among the most strongest in the Mediterranean for several centuries. Their solid presence in Constantinople gave them a significant advantage as it was the center of a trading network that ran all throughout Eurasia into North Africa. With trading as their stong suit and a State that tightly controlled both internal and foreign transaction, they were set up for success. The one factor that set them apart has to be <u>their inmplementation of coinage</u>, which consolidated a monopoly around the Byzantine empire.
The author of this excerpt is presenting an argument for Japan to follow a policy of "<span>(4) economic imperialism" since there are so few other options available. </span>