“Never visited a colony where negroes had such courage”. Dutch colonial ethos in Curaçao

Abstract

The subject of this research is the initial stage of the Dutch colonization of one of the Lesser Antilles, Curacao, which is today a subject of the Federation in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. In Russian historiography, the role of Curacao as the largest smuggling center of the eighteenth century is practically not disclosed. The article examines the events of the 17th – 18th centuries. Taking into account the Dutch historical canon, the features of the Dutch colonial ethos in the context of a non-plantation economic system are described. The authors consider such aspects of the topic as the formation of the island as a transit center for transatlantic trade, as well as the role of slaves in its economic development. The work is based on the principles of historicism, consistency, objectivity. The methodological basis of the research is the historical-genetic method, which allows to show the considered reality in its historical development. Despite the milder conditions of exploitation of slaves, numerous cases of escape and unrest of slaves are known. A characteristic feature of Curacao was the presence in all economic spheres of free blacks and mulattoes, mainly due to the urban economy.