Prelude to Colonialism

The end of Dutch colonialism can be clearly defined. But in view of the hybrid character of the Dutch East India Company (Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie - VOC), which was both merchant and king, a beginning date is not so easily determined. The various essays in this book discuss the VOC's imperial aspects and the continuity between VOC rule and the administration of the Dutch East Indies after 1816; despite their formal differences, the continuity between the two regimes is striking.