ABSTRACT
The Dutch Wars of Independence destroyed lives and capital assets but also created new economic opportunities. The quotation above is from Hans Thijs, a young merchant who migrated from Antwerp to Amsterdam in 1584. The letter to his family dates from 1594 and demonstrates that the economic prospects for the northern Netherlands must have seemed quite promising despite the intensive warfare of that decade, even before the 'garden' of the Dutch Republic was closed. Most warfare appears to have reinforced economic trends; only rarely were new developments initiated. Barbera's view corresponds remarkably well to the experiences of the Thirty Years War, the economic impact of which was extremely differentiated. In Holland, standards of living improved rapidly after the 1570s as unemployment declined and wages were paid on a more regular basis. This ensured a secure environment for continuous capital accumulation. Typical of Dutch economic development was its decentralized structure, permitting flexibility, pragmatism and the contribution of local expertise.
