Commercial Republicanism in the Dutch Golden Age ─ The Political Thought of Johan & Pieter de la Court

Brotherly collaboration, sudden death, and endless revision all appear in the story of the political writing by Dutch merchants Johan (1620-60) and Pieter de la Court (1618-85), says Weststeijn (historical studies, Royal Netherlands Institute, Rome). He considers their work together, because there is no historical evidence for which one wrote what. The documents provide a revealing window into early modern European political thought, and an argument for a republican society in which liberty and commerce intertwine. The letters and publications are presented in chapters on the making of an ?vre, the rhetoric of the market, wise merchants, the commercial commonwealth, and concord and toleration. The study began as his 2010 PhD dissertation in history at the European University Institute, Florence) Annotation c2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Arthur Weststeijn, Ph.D. (2010) in History, European University Institute in Florence, is Director of Historical Studies at the Royal Netherlands Institute in Rome. His research focuses on the intellectual history of the early-modern Dutch Republic from an international perspective. This is his first book.