Golden age or Dark age?
The golden age is a period in Dutch history that started around 1575 and ended around 1675. The
republic of the seven united Netherlands, flourished in the fields of trade science and art. But even
though all of the good things that happened during the golden age, there is a whole other side.
Is the term appropriate?
Is the term golden age appropriate? No, in my opinion it is not appropriate, because there may have
happened good things in the Netherlands during the golden age but there also were some really bad
things like slavery and poverty. I see it more as a age of torture than a Golden age.
Poverty
During the golden age people in The Netherlands weren’t rich as I thought, there was a lot of
poverty. 90% of the people in the Golden Age lived in poverty. They were poor and only bowed down
for a little money. A lot of people, including children, had to work very hard and barely earned
something. Child labor was seen as normal because a lot of families could not provide food on the
table so they send their children to work, most of the times it was the son who would work and the
daughter who would help her mother in the house with the cleaning, cooking and etc. School was for
a lot of children no option.
Diseases
there were a lot of deadly diseases such as scurvy, smallpox, syphilis and leprosy. If you would
survive from these diseases they would leave their mark. Scurvy, for example, was caused by vitamin
deficiency and was common among sailors, but people also suffered from it 'ashore'. A lot of people
died because they could not get help because of the poverty. More rich people survived this diseases
than the poor people.
Slavery
Slavery was very common in the golden age. The Dutch have sold and bought around 600,000 African
men, women and children to work to work at plantations, mines and as household slaves. The
African people were sold as slaves because of their skin color. Back then not many Dutch people saw
this as discrimination but it is. How can you make someone work for you as a slave, based on their
skin color? Slavery is the main reason I do not agree with the term Golden age.
Should the term stay or not?
The golden age is a special period for the Dutch where in important things happened such like the
VOC and the WIC. So I think it is very difficult to have an opinion about the term, because there
happened so many bad things but the golden age is called the golden age because of all of the good
art, trade, science and etc. during the golden age. I think I wouldn’t use the term after all the
research I have done, because it kind of makes me feel that I am saying I am okay with all the things
that happened like slavery, poverty and diseases. Many people have died unfairly, but a part of me
would understand why Dutch people still would use the term.
All in all, in the Golden Age, a lot of great things happened for the Dutch republic that made the
republic as incredible as the VOC organization. but there was a side of the Golden Age that was not
as golden as the name this time frame has. They made use of slaves, there was a lot of need and wars
took place that diminished the power in the Dutch republic. Overall, I feel like they should also think
about the bad things that happened in this time frame that weren't as good as the Golden Age
seems.
The golden age is a period in Dutch history that started around 1575 and ended around 1675. The
republic of the seven united Netherlands, flourished in the fields of trade science and art. But even
though all of the good things that happened during the golden age, there is a whole other side.
Is the term appropriate?
Is the term golden age appropriate? No, in my opinion it is not appropriate, because there may have
happened good things in the Netherlands during the golden age but there also were some really bad
things like slavery and poverty. I see it more as a age of torture than a Golden age.
Poverty
During the golden age people in The Netherlands weren’t rich as I thought, there was a lot of
poverty. 90% of the people in the Golden Age lived in poverty. They were poor and only bowed down
for a little money. A lot of people, including children, had to work very hard and barely earned
something. Child labor was seen as normal because a lot of families could not provide food on the
table so they send their children to work, most of the times it was the son who would work and the
daughter who would help her mother in the house with the cleaning, cooking and etc. School was for
a lot of children no option.
Diseases
there were a lot of deadly diseases such as scurvy, smallpox, syphilis and leprosy. If you would
survive from these diseases they would leave their mark. Scurvy, for example, was caused by vitamin
deficiency and was common among sailors, but people also suffered from it 'ashore'. A lot of people
died because they could not get help because of the poverty. More rich people survived this diseases
than the poor people.
Slavery
Slavery was very common in the golden age. The Dutch have sold and bought around 600,000 African
men, women and children to work to work at plantations, mines and as household slaves. The
African people were sold as slaves because of their skin color. Back then not many Dutch people saw
this as discrimination but it is. How can you make someone work for you as a slave, based on their
skin color? Slavery is the main reason I do not agree with the term Golden age.
Should the term stay or not?
The golden age is a special period for the Dutch where in important things happened such like the
VOC and the WIC. So I think it is very difficult to have an opinion about the term, because there
happened so many bad things but the golden age is called the golden age because of all of the good
art, trade, science and etc. during the golden age. I think I wouldn’t use the term after all the
research I have done, because it kind of makes me feel that I am saying I am okay with all the things
that happened like slavery, poverty and diseases. Many people have died unfairly, but a part of me
would understand why Dutch people still would use the term.
All in all, in the Golden Age, a lot of great things happened for the Dutch republic that made the
republic as incredible as the VOC organization. but there was a side of the Golden Age that was not
as golden as the name this time frame has. They made use of slaves, there was a lot of need and wars
took place that diminished the power in the Dutch republic. Overall, I feel like they should also think
about the bad things that happened in this time frame that weren't as good as the Golden Age
seems.
