There is a tremendous amount of work by economists measuring these things, which is why this article is so irritating. The point that the Dutch were an economi

There is a tremendous amount of work by economists measuring these things, which is why this article is so irritating. The point that the Dutch were an economic superpower in the 17th century is not off base: they were only country to maintain colonies in North & South America, Africa and Asia. The point that the Dutch East India Company was probably the first company set up under a system of modern financial capitalism, that is a permanently capitalized enterprise with a professional managerial class, separate from tradable claims on the profits of that enterprise, is also well taken. But this article is a load of twaddle.