Analyze the reasons for the formation of the Dutch Golden Age in the 17th century

1. National Independence

In 1568, seven Dutch provinces formed the League of Utrecht to resist the rule of King Philip II of Spain, and the Eighty Years' War broke out. Before the Low Countries were completely defeated, war broke out between England and Spain, forcing the Spanish army led by Philip II to stop. At this time, Philip II's army had occupied important trading cities such as Bruges and Ghent. Antwerp, arguably the most important port in the world at the time, was captured by Spain on August 17, 1585. At this time, the Southern Netherlands (approximately present-day Belgium) was completely occupied by Spain. The Dutch Republic (today's Netherlands) continued to fight until the Peace of Westphalia was signed in 1648.

The defeat of the Southern Netherlands caused many Calvinist merchants to flee north. Many moved to Amsterdam, which was then just a small port. By the 17th century, rapidly developing Amsterdam had become one of the most important ports in the world. This emigration can be called "the establishment of a new Antwerp". Mass immigration from Flanders and Brabant was an important driving force in the Dutch Golden Age.

In addition to the large number of immigrants from the Southern Netherlands, there was also a large influx of refugees fleeing religious persecution, especially Sephardic Jews from Spain and Portugal, and Huguenots from France.

Several other factors also contributed to the flourishing of trade, industry, arts, and science during this period. One factor is the availability of cheap energy such as wind and peat, which can be transported to cities via canals. With the advent of sawmills, large-scale fleets can be built to trade around the world, and military means can be used to protect the economic interests of the Republic of China.

Two. . Fortune

In the 17th century, the Dutch's outstanding sailors and cartographers dominated world trade for a long time, replacing the Portuguese and Spanish who originally occupied this position. After that, it competed with England for a long time, broke out several Anglo-Dutch wars (mainly at sea), and finally lost its dominance.

In 1602, the Dutch East India Company was established, becoming the first multinational company in history. The Dutch East India Company monopolized Asian trade for two hundred years and became the largest commercial enterprise in the 17th century. The large import of spices has brought huge profits. In 1609, the Amsterdam Stock Exchange was established, a century earlier than the London Stock Exchange.

Around 1640, the Dutch East India Company established a trading base on Deshima, an artificial island in Nagasaki Bay, Japan, and monopolized trade with Japan. Until 1854, the Netherlands had been Japan's only window to the West. The spread of Western science and products to Japan led to the rise of orchidology. The Netherlands introduced the scientific revolution and industrial technology that occurred in the West to Japan. Japan purchased and translated many scientific books from the Netherlands, acquired Western treasures and artifacts (such as clocks), and accepted demonstrations of various Western innovations (such as the demonstration of electricity and the flight of hot-air balloons in the early 19th century). In the 17th and 18th centuries, the Netherlands was arguably the most economically wealthy and scientifically advanced country in Europe, giving them a privileged position to transmit Western knowledge to Japan.

The Netherlands also dominated trade among European countries. The Low Countries happened to occupy a favorable position on the east-west and north-south trade routes, and could connect to the vast hinterland of Germany through the Rhine River. Dutch merchants shipped French and Portuguese wine to the Baltic Sea and grain back to countries around the Mediterranean. In the 1680s, an average of nearly 1,000 Dutch ships entered the Baltic Sea each year. The Trippenhuis in Amsterdam is the current home of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences. It is a typical building from the 17th century.

National industries such as shipyards and sugar refineries also expanded during this period. As more and more land was developed, some lakes were reclaimed to form new land, and local grain production and dairying increased rapidly.

Although only a small part of the Dutch wealth was obtained through the slave trade, this trade is still closely related to the Golden Age. In 1619, the Netherlands began the slave trade between Africa and the Americas. In 1650, it became the leading slave trading country in Europe. Its status was not replaced by the United Kingdom until around 1700. Amsterdam became the slave capital of Europe. In addition to the slave trade, it also helped neighboring countries manage slaves. At that time, there were as many as 10,000 slave ships.

The booming trade in the Netherlands created a large class of wealthy merchants. The new prosperity brought greater attention and patronage to the visual arts, literature, and science.

3. . . National consciousness

The result of the revolt against Spain, also known as the Eighty Years' War for religious freedom and economic and political independence, allowed the reformist northern provinces (see the Dutch Republic) to become fully independent, leading to the The country’s fighting spirit was aroused.