Explored the depiction of Arab commercial mobility and political influence in the Malay Archipelago at the end of the 19th century in Joseph Conrad's early Malay novels. By analyzing the trade competition between British businessman Ringo and Arab businessman Abdullah in two novels, it reflects the intertwined interaction between economic, social, and political flows. At the same time, it is pointed out that there is a lack of existing research exploring the profound impact of 19th century economic globalization and new technological revolution on business development from a liquidity perspective, as well as the issues reflected in the literary imagination of Arab business in the two novels. The purpose of this paper is to explore how the Arab "tuber" network and steamboat traffic have impacted the British individual speculative business model and the traditional galleon trade, and reveal the political discourse in the Arab business imagination from the two aspects of mobility path and media, with the aid of interdisciplinary research.

River mouth leakage and loss of Ling's trade monopoly: commercial liquidity landscape in Samba town

Through two works, "The Stupidity of Almeider" and "Chasing Guests in the Sea Corner," the picture of commercial mobility in Simba town is depicted. Ling monopolized the trade of Samba town by controlling the secret river mouth and became the 'Sea King'. Commercial flow not only promotes the connection between Samba town and the global economy, but also shapes the local social and political landscape. The emergence of Arab businessman Abdullah and his cross racial alliance with local ethnic groups broke Ling's monopoly, leading to the end of his trading era. After the river mouth leak, the market dominance changed, triggering political changes, and the rulers and colonial loyalists of Samba town changed. This process reflects the interactive relationship between commercial and political flows, as well as the social characteristics of business supremacy in the late 19th century Borneo region.

The difference in liquidity pathways between the "tuber" trade network and individual speculative business models

Explored the differences between the individual speculative business model of British businessman Ringo and the "tuber" trade network of Arab businessman Abdullah, and their impact on commercial liquidity. Ling's business model relies on personal capital and speculative shipping, lacking commercial scale and team collaboration, resulting in uncertainty and high risks in business operations. In contrast, Abdullah's trade network is based on family relationships, characterized by decentralization and de hierarchy, demonstrating flexibility and diversity. This network not only promotes business connections and cooperation, but also enhances the trade influence of Arab merchants in the Malay Archipelago. Abdullah's network also provides him with diverse sources of funding, effectively reducing business risks. In addition, the network is also a political network, and through its loan relationships with local royal families, the Abdullah family also has influence in politics, which has a strong impact on Ling's individualized speculative business model.

From sailboat trade to steamship commerce: the transformation of fluid media

The new technological revolution and changes in transportation in the 19th century had a profound impact on the development of trade, especially the invention of steamships, which became a tool for imperial expansion. The opening of the Suez Canal and the popularization of steamships greatly promoted the development of the transportation industry, changing the pattern of navigation from sailboats to steamships. The efficient propulsion of steamships and the mature technology of power ships have replaced conventional ships, improving the efficiency of maritime transportation. Ling's double track sailboat "Flash" has advantages in traditional sailboat trade, but with the development of the world market and long-distance futures trade, it is gradually being replaced by steamships. Sailing ships sail slowly and are greatly affected by natural factors, while steamships are made of steel, have a large size, a large cargo capacity, and lower shipping costs. The changes in transportation reflect the transformation of trade modes and types in the Malay Archipelago at the end of the 19th century, from individual merchant trade and spot trading to futures trading, remote trade, insurance, and credit business. Arabs, relying on their capital advantage, are more likely to obtain steamships, while Ringo relies on personal capital and finds it difficult to keep up with the development of the times. The decline of his trade is the inevitable result of the failure of personal business strategies and the development of the times.

Arab Business Imagination and the Political Narrative of 'Dangerous Flow'

In Conrad's early Malay novels, there is a temporal mismatch between the literary imagination of Arab commercial achievements and historical facts, which is more manifested as fiction. From the 16th to the 18th century, Arab merchants established Arab empires and colonies in the Malay Archipelago. In the mid-19th century, shipping and pilgrimage transportation were monopolized by Arab merchants, and the maritime industry reached its peak from 1845 to 1855. However, in the second half of the 19th century, with the rise of capitalism and intensified commercial competition, Arab maritime trade declined. Conrad's novels reflect the backwardness of Arab merchants' trade methods, lack of financial skills such as double entry bookkeeping, and were surpassed by Chinese and Indian merchants. Telegram, as a mobile medium, has increased the speed and breadth of information dissemination, promoting the development of remote futures trading. However, the Arab merchants in the novel still use traditional letter trading, and cultural retreat indicates the inevitability of trade decline.