Between the devil and the deep blue sea: the Dutch economy during World War I

doi:10.1017/CBO9780511497339.006

5 - Between the devil and the deep blue sea: the Dutch economy during World War I

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 23 July 2009

Herman De Jong

Edited by

Stephen Broadberry and

Mark Harrison

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Herman De Jong: Affiliation:
Associate Professor, University of Groningen
Stephen Broadberry: Affiliation:
University of Warwick
Mark Harrison: Affiliation:
University of Warwick

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Summary

Notwithstanding all the vicissitudes falling to the lot of a small neutral nation hemmed in on every side by belligerents, Holland has prospered during the war. This was particularly true up to and through 1917. Since then, because of the very great reduction in commerce, prosperity has not been so marked as formerly, but financially Holland is in excellent condition

(Moore, 1919: 85).

The blockade also seriously affected the economies of the European neutrals; despite the initial wartime boom and the high profits deriving more especially from shipping and commerce, there can be no doubt that the economic consequences of the war were negative so far as the neutrals were concerned

(Hardach, 1987: 34).

Introduction

The history of the Dutch economy during World War I is an example of the fortunes and behaviour of a neutral country in the military and economic warfare between the Allies and the Central Powers, and more specifically between the United Kingdom and Germany. In the first place, an important characteristic of the Dutch economy is its precarious geographical location, literally between the belligerent countries, and its integration with the economies of both the United Kingdom and Germany. Secondly, the developments in the Netherlands reflected the way in which the political goals and political actions of the British and the German governments towards the neutrals were inspired by strategic economic motives. And being a neutral did not mean that there was much room for manoeuvre for politicians and businessmen.

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Type: Chapter
Information: The Economics of World War I , pp. 137 - 168

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511497339.006 [Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 2005

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