The Netherlands have been an important trading nation for a long time partly as a result of their geographical situation.
One of the first multinationals in The Netherlands was the ‘Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie’ (VOC).
The aim of the VOC was to send ships to Asia in order to buy pepper and spices, and to take over the Portuguese monopoly in this field. The Company was successful. An era of great prosperity resulted, in which the art of painting (Rembrandt van Rijn) as well as scien...