The Dutch Republic: a great power? Modern objectivist perspectives and new contemporary social- constructivist angles. Student Name: Jos Boelen Submission date: 29-6-2018 Student number: s1532219 MA Thesis: Europe 1000-1800 E-mail address:
[email protected] 30 ECTS Thesis supervisor: M.A. Ebben Word count: 23.981 Table of contents Introduction...............................................................................................................................3 Chapter 1: From player to pawn. Modern perspectives on eighteenth-century state power, the Dutch Republic as a great power, and the balance of power..............................................................................................10 Chapter 2: „...The Truth is, we have a very bad game to play...‟ Dutch pessimism about Dutch power.......................................................................................22 Chapter 3: „...Holland and Zealand are so strong by Nature, that they are capable of defending themselves against the whole world...‟ European optimism about Dutch power...................................................................................29 Chapter 4:‘… for Holland is not any more to us, what she formerly was, the faithful friend and ally of Great Britain...’ Decay of the European optimism.............................................................................................45 Conclusion: New definitions?..................................................................................................51 Bibliography.............................................................................................................................54