Abstract:In the first four decades of the seventeenth century，the VOC managed to wrest the bulk of the spice trade from the Portuguese，secure a substantial share of the Indian textile market，and extend its sphere of influence to practically every trading port in Maritime Asia.The Company made the Chinese trade and settlement of Taiwan possible，diverted much of the Chinese trade away from the Spanish in Manila and Portuguese in Macao，and effectively competed with Asian traders in both the Siamese and Japanese markets.No other entity in Asia could boast such a portfolio.Three factors stand out as reasons for the VOC’s success.First，the Company united Dutch political and economic ambitions under a single “national monopoly”.The Dutch monopoly developed along secular lines with no ecclesiastical ties or obligations.Because they did not have to concern themselves with both a state and religious hierarchy as was the case with the Iberians，the Dutch were able to focus more directly on the procurement of profits.Second，the VOC had a clear long-term objective that coincided with national ambitions.The spice monopsony was seen as the way by which the United Provinces could achieve economic prosperity and at the same time break the back of the Portuguese monopoly in Asia and Spain’s political hold on the Netherlands.Third，the VOC created a communications and shipping network in Asian that was unsurpassed.Information about commodities and markets was quickly and effectively exchanged between the headquarters in Batavia and the outposts in Asia enabling the Company to outmanoeuvre its rivals.
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