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The Dutch East India Company: A Captivating Guide to the First True Multinational Corporation and Its Impact on the Dutch War of Independence from Spain
If you want to discover the captivating history of the Dutch East India Company, then keep reading...
Free History BONUS Inside!
Huge international companies and corporations are a normal part of our everyday lives today. For most, their unimaginable wealth and power, which are rivaling even some of the smaller countries of the world, is something we take for granted. And we see them as the living embodiment of the capitalist system, regardless if we take it as a good or a bad omen. However, this wasn’t always the case. For the majority of history, it was the kings and emperors who wielded the most influence, commanded the largest armies, and had the largest treasures. And all of them would laugh at the idea of some merchants managing to not only catch up to their supremacy and riches but even surpass them. Yet they did. Probably the best example of that kind of success were the traders of the Dutch East India Company of the 16th century.
This company singlehandedly reformed the way businesses functioned, creating the foundation of our modern capitalist world, with all of its strengths and weaknesses. And through its international trade, this corporation brought our world one step closer to the colonialism of the 19th century and the globalization of the 20th century. It even managed to transform itself from a group of merchants to an empire in its own right. By the time of its disbandment in the late 18th century, the world was irreversibly changed.
In The Dutch East India Company: A Captivating Guide to the First True Multinational Corporation and Its Impact on the Dutch War of Independence from Spain, you will discover topics such as
Birth of a Corporation The Company on the Rise Fall of the Giant Structure and Organization of the VOC The Good, the Bad, and the VOC And much, much more! So if you want to learn more about the Dutch East India Company, scroll up and click the "add to cart" button!
Free History BONUS Inside!
Huge international companies and corporations are a normal part of our everyday lives today. For most, their unimaginable wealth and power, which are rivaling even some of the smaller countries of the world, is something we take for granted. And we see them as the living embodiment of the capitalist system, regardless if we take it as a good or a bad omen. However, this wasn’t always the case. For the majority of history, it was the kings and emperors who wielded the most influence, commanded the largest armies, and had the largest treasures. And all of them would laugh at the idea of some merchants managing to not only catch up to their supremacy and riches but even surpass them. Yet they did. Probably the best example of that kind of success were the traders of the Dutch East India Company of the 16th century.
This company singlehandedly reformed the way businesses functioned, creating the foundation of our modern capitalist world, with all of its strengths and weaknesses. And through its international trade, this corporation brought our world one step closer to the colonialism of the 19th century and the globalization of the 20th century. It even managed to transform itself from a group of merchants to an empire in its own right. By the time of its disbandment in the late 18th century, the world was irreversibly changed.
In The Dutch East India Company: A Captivating Guide to the First True Multinational Corporation and Its Impact on the Dutch War of Independence from Spain, you will discover topics such as
Birth of a Corporation The Company on the Rise Fall of the Giant Structure and Organization of the VOC The Good, the Bad, and the VOC And much, much more! So if you want to learn more about the Dutch East India Company, scroll up and click the "add to cart" button!
67 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 12, 2019
143 people are currently reading
169 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
June 22, 2022
This book was very informative, but in only the direct facts of the EIC details; in as such, that it gave the correct dates for the company's existence, who ran it, where it prospered and where it failed. There are entire gaps , where information would've been more enlightening than just the bare facts.
And, I expected more picture of the actual engravings or portraits that were done in connection with this company and the men/women who were enslaved by it.
The book did touch on a few of the bigger names involved in the company's reign and dissolution.
I gave it 3 stars, because I was expecting so much more.
Cheers~
And, I expected more picture of the actual engravings or portraits that were done in connection with this company and the men/women who were enslaved by it.
The book did touch on a few of the bigger names involved in the company's reign and dissolution.
I gave it 3 stars, because I was expecting so much more.
Cheers~
August 22, 2021
Niezwykła historia. Dała mi do myślenia: pierwsza i największa korporacja na świecie, istniejąca przez prawie 200 lat, upadła i teraz niewielu młodych przedsiębiorców jest tego świadomych. Żyją nadzieją budowy czegoś wielkiego, czegoś co zapisze się na kartach historii nie mając pojęcia, że tak się nigdy nie stanie. Musieliby odmienić losy świata...a szanse na to mają tylko działania wojskowe, polityczne lub naukowe. Biznes i handel nie jest nigdy czymś wielkim. W zamian oferuje dochód.
November 5, 2020
I know it's supposed to be a short book. But its wikipedia level short. No reason to buy it, just google Dutch East Indies and you will get 3x more information if you read for 15 minutes.
July 2, 2023
Very informative
A good read and enjoyable. It has helped me understand the early stages of exploration by the Dutch. Worthwhile read to understand this subject.
A good read and enjoyable. It has helped me understand the early stages of exploration by the Dutch. Worthwhile read to understand this subject.
November 30, 2019
Ah, this book deserves at least 5 stars. Someone has finally explained the intricacies of the spice trade that ultimately launched the Dutch East India Company. I read that part twice because it had all the nuances of the politics, trade routes, Age of Discovery, and the changes in religion (and how that affected countries relationships). I gleaned a full understanding of the underlying circumstances that allowed one company to become dominating.
This book makes a neat point of stating that in most historical times, kings and emperors controlled money, armies, and influence. But once upon a time, a group of merchants banded together and out-earned any king on earth. To put it in today's terms, the book indicates that the Apple Corp. (iPads, iPods, etc.) is worth 1/10th of what the Dutch East India Company was worth in its heyday. Recently, I saw Apple rated at 1 trillion dollars.
This nimble little story explains the beginnings of their 200-year reign over trade and their eventual decline (and the reasons for it). While Spain, Portugal, France, and England were fighting over the New World, the clever Dutch decided to go after trade in the East Indies.
This book makes a neat point of stating that in most historical times, kings and emperors controlled money, armies, and influence. But once upon a time, a group of merchants banded together and out-earned any king on earth. To put it in today's terms, the book indicates that the Apple Corp. (iPads, iPods, etc.) is worth 1/10th of what the Dutch East India Company was worth in its heyday. Recently, I saw Apple rated at 1 trillion dollars.
This nimble little story explains the beginnings of their 200-year reign over trade and their eventual decline (and the reasons for it). While Spain, Portugal, France, and England were fighting over the New World, the clever Dutch decided to go after trade in the East Indies.
September 2, 2019
The First Multinational Company
This is a fascinating account that gives incite to the birth of the stock market that we have today, by the formation of the first joint stock company with individual shareholders. While it contributed a great deal to what we take for granted now, there was also a dark side where in the pursuit of profit very little was off limits. Many indigenous did not fare well when dealing with them and the fact that they owned a number of advanced warships proved that they were not afraid of violent confrontation in the pursuit of profit.
This is well written book of an amazingly profitable company that stayed in business for two centuries.
This is a fascinating account that gives incite to the birth of the stock market that we have today, by the formation of the first joint stock company with individual shareholders. While it contributed a great deal to what we take for granted now, there was also a dark side where in the pursuit of profit very little was off limits. Many indigenous did not fare well when dealing with them and the fact that they owned a number of advanced warships proved that they were not afraid of violent confrontation in the pursuit of profit.
This is well written book of an amazingly profitable company that stayed in business for two centuries.
August 22, 2019
Fascinating history packed in one hour plus of reading. The importance of this first multinational and international company played the groundwork for Capitalism. I remember reading how Alexander Hamilton set the U. S. economy based on a model he had brought from the Netherlands and this book really explains the rest of the story. I had no idea how great a contribution to world history the Dutch had made. Well written, easy to read, a lot of history packed into one little book.
September 9, 2019
Yes, it's short. Yes, it's shallow. Yes, it's an introduction to VOC.
It's free, don't complain, but don't expect a full insight into the Company.
It serves as a very good introduction - enough to answer a few questions at the quiz night - but this'll make you want to find a fuller, and dare I say better researched, book on the subject.
It's free, don't complain, but don't expect a full insight into the Company.
It serves as a very good introduction - enough to answer a few questions at the quiz night - but this'll make you want to find a fuller, and dare I say better researched, book on the subject.
September 19, 2019
The First Multinational is putting it mildly
A must read for business students and historians of economic development. The foundations
of globalism and capitalism grew out of this mega-company which was a force unknown to
to the world before its 200 year reign.
All parts good,evil,draconian and modern, its myriad of accomplishments and effects are with us
today....
A must read for business students and historians of economic development. The foundations
of globalism and capitalism grew out of this mega-company which was a force unknown to
to the world before its 200 year reign.
All parts good,evil,draconian and modern, its myriad of accomplishments and effects are with us
today....
December 7, 2019
Good first step.
This is a good overview and gives you a taste that should inspire you to read more. I remember the Dutch East India company did trade in the East, etc in my history classes, but little else. That is a shame, they did so much more. Well laid out text and a good looking bibliography. Check it out.
This is a good overview and gives you a taste that should inspire you to read more. I remember the Dutch East India company did trade in the East, etc in my history classes, but little else. That is a shame, they did so much more. Well laid out text and a good looking bibliography. Check it out.
September 22, 2025
Purchased this on Kindle as I have always been interested in the Dutch colonialism period of history but have never really known where to start to research it. This book is short but sweet and covers the history of the Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie in a solid amount of detail.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews