Saturday, March 21, 2020

The Decline of the Dutch Republic in 1650 to 1713 Essay Example

The Decline of the Dutch Republic in 1650 to 1713 Paper The Decline of the Dutch Republic in 1650 to 1713 The Dutch Republic, in 1650, was an intimidating power; the Dutch Republic boasted dominant commercial, financial, and naval power. The Dutch Republic accredited much of their power to their most power province, Holland. Holland, dominated by Amsterdam, was a leading trading center in Europe. Although The Dutch Republic enjoyed a domineering power before 1650, the Peace of Utrecht brought about the decline of the Dutch Republic, due to a series of European wars, internal disunity and conflict, and a loss of trade dominance and economic prosperity. The Dutch Republic was the center of multiple European wars, that contributed to its decline. The Treaty of Dover, of 1670, promised a war on the Dutch Republic, in which France and England would join forces to bring about the downfall of the Dutch Republic. In a Resolution of the Amsterdam City Council, in 1671, it was noted that the monarchs waging war against the Dutch Republic were solely interested in taking parts of the Dutch Republic for their own kingdoms. In a letter from the Dutch ambassador to England in 1672, Konrad Van Beuningen reported that the onslaught of war from France and England could deteriorate the commerce of the Dutch Republic. The citizens of the Dutch Republic suffered socially from the wars that the Dutch Republic fought. We will write a custom essay sample on The Decline of the Dutch Republic in 1650 to 1713 specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Decline of the Dutch Republic in 1650 to 1713 specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Decline of the Dutch Republic in 1650 to 1713 specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer In a letter about the Dutch reaction to losses suffered in the war. An English resident in the Dutch Republic notes that the enormous draw of males to fight the war is taking a toll on the citizens of the Dutch Republic. The losses suffered from the wars with France and England brought on the deterioration of the Dutch Republic, through their economic and internal struggles. The Dutch Republics decline was, in part, caused by the economic declination; which was catalyzed by the wars France and England waged on the Dutch Republic. Although Sir George Downing, the English ambassador to the Dutch Republic in 1664, may have been exaggerating the shattered state of the Dutch Republic, in a letter to the English government, Downing described the Dutch Republic as being shattered and a divided thing that depends on the previously wealthy province of Holland. The national debt of the Dutch Republic in 1688 increased immensely, so that in 1713 the national debt of the Dutch Republic more than tripled. The national debt in 1688 was a result of the war against England and France and the Dutch Republic never recovered due to the wars the Dutch were forced to fight against France. Although the debt was so immense, that every province of the Dutch Republic felt it, the few wealthy citizens of Amsterdam remained virtually untouched and stayed the wealthiest citizens of the Dutch Republic. The heavy class distinctions of the Dutch Republic during 1650 to 1713 contributed to the growing unease within the provinces. The disunity and conflict within the Dutch Republic contributed to its overall decline as a major power during 1650 to 1713. In a government report of the Dutch Republic in 1683 reports on the fact that the different provinces of the Dutch Republic cannot agree on how to oppose the attacks of Louis XIV in the war against France and England. Although the government report on the Dutch Republic seems unbiased and is therefore to be trusted, the political pamphlet published in Amsterdam, 1683 is to be regarded as slightly exaggerated. The pamphlet describes the wealth citizens of Amsterdam with some bitterness. The pamphlet is sympathetic to the struggling citizens of the Dutch provinces and describes them as the only source of wealth in the Dutch Republic. The political pamphlet illustrates the disunion within the Dutch Republic as a result of economic hardships brought about by the wars the provinces participate in; the very wars that affected the once great trade power that the Dutch Republic was. The decline of the Dutch Republic was caused by the economic hardships prompted by the wars the Dutch Republic was forced to defend itself against. The trade competition caused by the English East India Company was reported to be the real cause of the war between England and the Dutch Republic by Marquis de Pomponne, the French ambassador to the Dutch Republic, in a report to the French government in the early 1680s. In the map of the Dutch Republic and Rival States in the Late Seventeenth Century, the map shows the numerous naval battles the Dutch Republic was fighting against England. As a result of the naval battles fought, the Dutch Republic suffered great losses from their trading. There was an estimated 2,000 to 2,700 Dutch shops seized by the English during the Three Anglo-Dutch Wars in 1652 to 1674. To make up for the lost revenues that resulted from a massive number of Dutch trading ships seized, the Dutch Republic planted heavy taxes on merchants. In an anonymous pamphlet published in the province of Holland in 1669 an unnamed citizen of the Dutch Republic notes that the heavy taxes set of the merchants are a burdensome addition to the losses they are already suffering from the naval battles the Dutch Republic is involved in. Although the writer of the pamphlet is clearly biased towards the merchants, the pamphlet is to be regarded as true because the writer, most likely a merchant, experienced the burden of the taxes first hand. The wars waged against England did not solve the trade problem as illustrated in a letter to the directors of the Dutch East India Company in 1705 from a Dutch colonial administrator. The letter reports that the East Indian trade is not earning any profits because of the competition with other countries. The Dutch Republic was previously an intimidating and dominating power in Europe. Its decline was caused mainly by the many wars it was forced to defend itself against. The wars the Dutch Republic fought caused great economic losses. The wars touched the Dutch Republics trading ships and caused further disunion within the provinces. The decline of the Dutch Republic was caused by a series of European wars, internal conflict, and a loss of trade dominance and economic abundance.

Thursday, March 5, 2020

Track Your Time and Boost Your Bottom Line

Track Your Time and Boost Your Bottom Line Do you keep track of how long it takes you to finish each writing project? Doing so will not only show you how much you earn per hour but will provide other great side benefits as well. For most of my freelancing career, Ive resisted tracking my writing time. I worried that it would affect the quality of my writing and, perhaps more importantly, that Id find out I would be better off flipping burgers. Thankfully, I discovered otherwise. Being aware that the clock is ticking, forces me to jump straight into the story instead of trying to find the perfect opening. Its also helping me stay focused on the writing, which means that I get more writing done in a shorter period of time. Im also motivated to stay on track so I can stay within a certain income range. When I start slowing down, I know its time to stop for a break. Theres no point in forcing myself to keep going because thats when the quality takes a dramatic nosedive. What surprised me the most was that this process has led me to look at time differently. Since I have two other careers, my writing sessions are often limited. In the past Id look at the clock and think, Whats the point. I only have half an hour. I felt it was barely long enough to get warmed up. Now I see those same thirty minutes and ask myself a critical question: What part of my story can I work on? In this way, Im able to fix a weak beginning, or an awkward ending, and oftentimes both. Additionally, Im better at not letting interruptions stop me, especially when Im in the flow. A favorite response of mine now is: Can it wait? I just need a few more minutes. Tracking your writing time will also help you determine how long you might need to finish a project requested Keeping track of your writing time is as simple as using a timer or jotting down the time when you start and end each writing session. Then transfer your total into a four-column spreadsheet with headings for: Title, Writing Time, Date, and Notes (optional). Once your story is completed, add your daily totals and voil! When you sell your story, youll know exactly how much you made per hour. And how much did I make with this article? I wrote in short bursts totaling about two hours, thus netting me $25 per hour. Not bad for someone whos never mastered the fine art of burger flipping! Although these numbers might not make me rich overnight, theyre a great starting point for helping me set goals that will increase my bottom line down the road while improving my efficiency and productivity.