Final answer:
Before trade with foreigners was ended altogether, it was heavily regulated and sometimes limited to specific forms such as tributary exchanges to control outside influence, with examples from China under the Hongwu Emperor, skepticism from low- and middle-income countries towards global trade, and Japan's period of insularity.
Step-by-step explanation:
Trade Policies Before Closure
The approach to foreign trade varied across different times and places but generally involved strict regulations before being ceased entirely. For instance, in China, the Hongwu Emperor initially attempted to limit Chinese contact with foreigners to tributary exchanges after 1371, as a way of controlling outside influence and consolidating power. All private foreign trade was forbidden, and eventually, all foreign trade ended. Similar measures were taken by destroying ships and making harbors unusable. Despite the death penalty as a deterrent, smuggling persisted. Other historical examples include periods when low- and middle-income countries viewed global goods, services, and financial flows skeptically, concerned about exploitation and loss of political control. Countries like Japan and China became increasingly insular, with Japan's Tokugawa shogunate also choosing to destroy ocean-going ships and banning foreign travel. In contrast, George Washington's approach in the U.S. aimed for friendly trade relations without political entanglements that could lead to war.