One of the families benefiting from the foreign trade system was the Asgaroladis, an old Jewish clan of bazaar traders, who converted to Islam several generations ago.

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The country's payments system has broken down, and many foreign banks will not accept Indonesian letters of credit, throttling trade.

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As seen through the foreign currency exchange, the American still wants a trade deficit for the same reasons she did before in the bartering system.

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Washington is hardly unique in wanting a liberal world system of open trade, freedom of the seas, enforceable rules of contract and protection for foreign investment.

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