The Dutch Republic in the Eighteenth-Century : Decline, Enlightenment, and Revolution

Following the brilliant "Golden Century," the eighteenth century has seemed to many historians of the Netherlands one of decline and a time when Dutch politics were dominated by foreign influences. Yet this was a period when the Netherlands served as a major publishing center for enlightened ideas, and when the Dutch Revolution of 1787 anticipated that of the French. Bringing together eighteen essays by a distinguished group of Dutch and American historians, the present volume restores a neglected chapter in the history of the Netherlands and makes a major contribution to our understanding of the Enlightenment as a European-not merely a French or an English-phenomenon. The Dutch Republic in the Eighteenth Century will be valuable reading for those interested in the history of eighteenth-century European politics and culture