What Factors Explain the Golden Age of the Dutch Republic? :: World History

This essay will discuss Dutch excellence in cunning, art and literature individually to discern the factors which explain the high standards of greenback these fields achieved during the Golden Age of the Dutch land.Although the smallest of the European powers in cost of territory, population, and natural resources, for 150 years the Dutch democracy dominated European trade with approximately half of the worlds total convey of seagoing ships at the zenith of its power. How did such an insignificant state plagiarise so rapidly, becoming according to contemporary observer Sir William Temple the envy of some, the timidity of others and the wonder of all their neighbours? Shifting commercial patterns since the 16th century had seen the rise of a truly global economy. As the quality of ships improved, skippers travelled provided distances with cargo, making arrival times and availability of goods unpredictable. A centrally set market where goods could be bought and sold at cons tant prices was needed. Geographical factors make the Dutch nation ideal for this role, situated at the intersection of northerly waterways connecting the Atlantic, Baltic and the Rhine. This position had grown in significance since the Mediterraneans function as pivot of international trade had diminished. Within the country, the Republics extensive waterways, river fleets and timber depots were well suited to a boom. The Republic had already established a leadership in bulk transportation, a firm foundation which could be built upon. Since the 1590s, the moedernegotie or mother trade moved huge quantities of goods such as lumber, fish and grain in large volume in cheap, simple ships. However, real wealth post in the rich trades of spices, silver and other luxury goods imported from the east Indies, Africa and the Americas. This trade was previously dominated by the Hanseatic states and England, but the Dutch Republics ease of access to the Iberian market and colonial goods enabl ed it to overpower the England Muscovy trade by 1600. In 1602, the Dutch East Indies Company or VOC was founded, followed by the Dutch West Indies Company nineteen years new-mader. end-to-end the 1630s, training posts were established in Sri Lanka and New Guinea.Several important out-of-door factors allowed the establishment of this formidable trade empire at the dawn of the seventeenth century. The first of these was the inflow of immigrants from the Southern Netherlands and other European states in the late 16th and seventeenth centuries. Within the Dutch Republic, between 100,000 and 15,0000 refugees fled from the Spanish forces, remission mainly in Holland or Zeelands towns.