Abstract
Karel Davids investigates whether the perception of Dutch "technological leadership" in Europe from about 1500 to the end of the Napoleonic period corresponded to reality (it did, but only from about 1580 to about 1680, while the perception itself lasted much longer). He examines what caused this burst of technological innovation, and why it petered out in the eighteenth century. In the first part of the book, he traces economic expansion in the Netherlands between 1350 and 1680 and discusses its relationship to technological innovation, and then he turns to the causes of this innovation. Davids examines standard explanations for the development of technology in the Dutch Republic, such as the high wages commanded in Holland in comparison to other parts of Europe and the influx of skilled craftspeople from the Southern Netherlands in the 1560s, and he significantly revises these accounts.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
