Pioneers of Capitalism
The Netherlands 1000–1800
- 256 pages
- English
- PDF
- Available on iOS & Android
About this book
How medieval Dutch society laid the foundations for modern capitalism
The Netherlands was one of the pioneers of capitalism in the Middle Ages, giving rise to the spectacular Dutch Golden Age while ushering in an era of unprecedented, long-term economic growth. Pioneers of Capitalism examines the formal and informal institutions in the Netherlands that made this economic miracle possible, providing a groundbreaking new history of the emergence and early development of capitalism.
Drawing on the latest quantitative theories in economic research, Maarten Prak and Jan Luiten van Zanden show how Dutch cities, corporations, guilds, commons, and other private and semipublic organizations provided safeguards for market transactions in the state’s absence. Informal institutions developed in the Netherlands long before the state created public safeguards for economic activity. Prak and van Zanden argue that, in the Netherlands itself, capitalism emerged within a robust civil society that constrained and counterbalanced its centrifugal forces, but that an unrestrained capitalism ruled in the overseas territories. Rather than collapsing under unrestricted greed, the Dutch economy flourished, but prosperity at home came at the price of slavery and other dire consequences for people outside Europe.
Pioneers of Capitalism offers a panoramic account of the early history of capitalism, revealing how a small region of medieval Europe transformed itself into a powerhouse of sustained economic growth, and changed the world in the process.
Frequently asked questions
- Essential is ideal for learners and professionals who enjoy exploring a wide range of subjects. Access the Essential Library with 800,000+ trusted titles and best-sellers across business, personal growth, and the humanities. Includes unlimited reading time and Standard Read Aloud voice.
- Complete: Perfect for advanced learners and researchers needing full, unrestricted access. Unlock 1.4M+ books across hundreds of subjects, including academic and specialized titles. The Complete Plan also includes advanced features like Premium Read Aloud and Research Assistant.
Please note we cannot support devices running on iOS 13 and Android 7 or earlier. Learn more about using the app.
Information
Table of contents
- Cover
- Contents
- Acknowledgments
- 1. Introduction: The Market as a Party?
- 2. Eight Hundred Years of Economic Growth, 1000–1800
- 3. Between Feudalism and Freedom, 1000–1350
- 4. Capitalism and Civil Society in Late Medieval Holland, 1350–1566
- 5. A Capitalist Revolution? The Dutch Revolt, 1566–1609
- 6. New Capitalism at Home and Overseas
- 7. The Republican State and “Varieties of Capitalism”
- 8. Capitalism and Inequality in the Eighteenth Century
- 9. Conclusion
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Index