THE NUTMEGS CURSE: CH 1

Question 1

Dutch colonisation and Banda Islands

Answer 1

Located in Indonesia. Dutch colonists exploited the Banda Islands for their nutmeg and mace, leading to the enslavement and killing of the indigenous population in pursuit of a trade monopoly. (17th century)

Question 2

Nutmeg, Mace and the “Spice War”

Answer 2

• Highly sought-after spices during the 17th century for culinary and medicinal purposes; sourced mainly from the Banda Islands.
• Highly valued in Europe for its medicinal properties and symbolized luxury and wealth, sparking a spice race among European nations.

Question 3

Jan Pieterszoon Coen

Answer 3

Controversial Dutch commander who played a key role in establishing Dutch dominance in the East Indies, including the exploitation of the Banda Islands.

• led the largest Dutch fleet to the Banda Islands, aiming to assert Dutch control over the nutmeg and mace trade.
• resorted to extreme torture, including waterboarding, to extract confessions and justify his brutal actions, illustrating the depths of his insanity and paranoia.
• proudly boasted of erasing and burning down the Banda Islands, showcasing his ruthless pursuit of Dutch dominance and economic gain.

Question 4

Trading Monopoly

Answer 4

• Exclusive control over trade in a particular area or with a particular group
• The Dutch sought exclusive control over the nutmeg and mace trade in the Banda Islands. Trade monopoly was something inherently related to European trade, it was a foreign concept.
• the islanders wanted to trade with everyone because they were used to that, they depended on their neighbours and were skilled traders. A monopoly would not have made any commercial sense to them (The Dutch only sold things like wool which was way too warm in the tropic climate and thus not beneficial).

Question 5

The “problem” and the “solution”

Answer 5

Problem: Banda Islanders lacked centralized leadership, and had a had a deep-seated distaste for centralised, unitary rule. Making it challenging for the Dutch to negotiate trade agreements through bribes.

Coen’s Solution: “The islands must be emptied of their inhabitants. Unless that is accomplished the VOC will never be able to establish a monopoly on nutmeg and mace.” reflecting extreme colonial brutality.

Question 6

The Lamp

Answer 6

General Sonck, in 1621 was on the Banda islands and was paranoid of attacks by local people. A lamp fell and scared him. He responded by starting a mass attack on nothing at first (shooting in the air), but Coen heard this and ordered the killing of the local people. (he kinda saw it as a sign of the local people’s imagined “aggression”).

Question 7

Myth of Modernity

Answer 7

• Despite claims of human progress, modern society remains heavily reliant on Earth’s resources, such as coal, oil, and natural gas.
• Energy, derived primarily from natural resources, has become the most crucial commodity in the contemporary world
  challenging the notion of freedom from material dependence.
• The belief that humanity has transcended its reliance on the Earth’s resources is challenged by our continued dependence on natural products, highlighting the fallacy of modernity’s supposed independence.