After reading some of Ralph Raico's stuff (e.g. http://mises.org/daily/2404), I'm interested in the early Dutch Republic: how it was a model for laissez faire and political decentralization in early modern Europe. I'm aware of two books on the subject: Jonathan Israel's "The Dutch Republic" and Simon Schama's "The Embarrassment of Riches."
I've heard that the former is good, but a little too data-rich to be readable. I've read Simon Schama's book on the French Revolution, "Citizens," which was very good - but I get the feeling that his book on the Dutch is a little heavy on art and a little light on economics and politics: not quite what I'm looking for.
Has anyone read either of these books, or have another they could recommend?
Thanks
It's a pretty expensive tome (£70 in the UK) but the book you are looking for is The Political Economy of the Dutch Republic by Oscar Gelderblom. This is more or less the definitive work available at the moment about economics in The Netherlands from the Wars of Independence up to the French Revolution.
Another pricey yet exquisite tome is The Founding of the Dutch Republic by James Tracy. It has a good section on economics, including a detailed section about Hapsburg fiscal politics in The Netherlands and how the situation changed under the Staatholders.
It's a pretty expensive tome (£70 in the UK) but the book you are looking for is The Political Economy of the Dutch Republic by Oscar Gelderblom. This is more or less the definitive work available at the moment about economics in The Netherlands from the Wars of Independence up to the French Revolution. Another pricey yet exquisite tome is The Founding of the Dutch Republic by James Tracy. It has a good section on economics, including a detailed section about Hapsburg fiscal politics in The Netherlands and how the situation changed under the Staatholders.
Those both sound excellent, thanks very much.