Relative and absolute marginality

Source: ReOrient, Chapter 2: The Global Trade Carousel 1400-1800

"The world economy continued to be dominated by Asians... until about 1800. Europe's relative and absolute marginality in the world continued, despite Europe's new relations with the Americas, which it used also to increase its relations with Asia. Indeed, it was little more than its new and continued access to American money [primarily silver from South American mines] that permitted Europe to broaden, though hardly to deepen, its participation in the world market."