Hidde Goedhart Research MA Thesis History Credit to the Nation Dutch Business in the Qing Empire, 1863–1903 Credit to the Nation Dutch Business in the Qing Empire, 1863–1903 cover image Anonymous British traveller, Stad en havengezicht van een Chinese stad [View on a Chinese city and port], album and print, ca. 1879--1890, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, rijksmuseum.nl. name Hidde (H.W.) Goedhart student ID 5511682 e-mail
[email protected] institution Utrecht University place Utrecht programme History (MA) course Research MA Thesis History (GKRMV16046) date April 20, 2021 supervisor J.P.M. Koch word count 39.931 Contents Abstract 4 Acknowledgments 5 Introduction 6 Mercantilism 8 The China Question 12 Visions of Empire 13 Sources 17 Chapter Outline 19 Chapter 1. Holland's Calling 21 Liberal Dreams 22 Empire 24 China Policy 26 An Enlightened Nation 28 Business Nationalism 30 Conclusion 32 Chapter 2. An Age of Individuals 34 2.1 The Civilised State 35 Mission 36 The Labour Trade 40 2.2 The Most Clever Engineer 43 Engineers Abroad 44 "... because this is China" 47 The Huangpu 51 Conclusion 52 Chapter 3. Well-founded Expectations 55 3.1 Golden Sediment 56 Royal Dutch 57 Deli Fields 60 3.2 Projects Carried Out Abroad 64 Inspecting the Yellow River 68 Conclusion 72 Chapter 4. Planting the Flag 74 4.1 The Struggle for Life 75 Vereeniging "het Buitenland" 77 River Works 81 4.2 Patronage and Patriotism 85 Patriot Entrepreneur 90 Conclusion 94 Conclusion 95 State 96 Business 99 Ethical Imperialism 101 Credit to the Nation 103 Abbreviations 106 Bibliography 107 Abstract After the opening of relations in 1863, Dutch commercial activity in the Qing Empire re- mained small until the century's end, with the establishment of the Holland-China-Han- delscompagnie, NHM Shanghai agency, and Java-China-Japanlijn in 1903 as clear signs of acceleration.