Serving the Chain?: De Nederlandsche Bank and the Last Decades of Slavery, 1814-1863

In the nineteenth century, when the principal cultural, political, and financial institutions of the Netherlands were established, slavery was still very much part of the nation's global imperial structures. Dutch families, institutions, and governments are increasingly interested in the role their predecessors played in this history of colonialism and enslavement. This book is a history of De Nederlandsche Bank in which particular attention is paid to its links with slavery, both as a factor in the economy and as a subject of political debate. Because De Nederlandsche Bank served the Dutch ministery of Colonies and consequently followed Dutch trade interests, the bank's history intersects with the history of slavery. The investigation in this book focuses not only upon DNB's formal involvement but also on the private involvement of its directors. In addition, it examines whether the bank and its directors played any role in the abolition of slavery.

Frontmatter --; Contents --; List of figures and tables --; Introduction --; 1. The establishment of De Nederlandsche Bank and the abolition of the slave trade in 1814 --; 2. The first directors, their parents, and grandparents --; 3. Inspiration after British abolition in 1833 --; 4. Slavery-related services --; 5. Constitutional reform, abolition, and apprenticeship --; Conclusion and recommendations --; Afterword --; Appendix 1. Legal regulation of indemnification through DNB --; Appendix 2. Persons investigated and their terms of office --; List of archives consulted --; Notes --; Bibliography --; Index