One of the subjects that has received least attention in any discussion of Oriental peasant economic systems is the amount of capital they have, and how it is accumulated and managed. As far as the Malays are concerned the reason probably is the common European idea that Malay peasants, including fishermen, have very little capital and very little notion of how to handle economically what they do possess. It is true that by European standards the amounts are usually small, and in general are well below the level to meet any modern demands for technological improvement, particularly when it involves mechanization. Yet, as far as the fishing economy is concerned, it should be obvious that even at the level at which these people work, the depreciation of equipment (especially of nets) is rapid, and the outlay upon running repairs and upon investment in new equipment must be heavy. For the economy to maintain itself as it does, often with additions to investment, either there must be a continual transfer of capital from outside sources—of which there is as a rule little sign—or there must be a considerable capital flow from within the industry itself.