Dutch East India Company

In this episode, we explore the Dutch East India Company, or VOC, founded in 1602 as one of history’s first major multinational joint-stock corporations. The discussion traces how the VOC gained a state-backed monopoly over Asian trade, built colonies, issued currency, and used military power to protect its commercial empire. We also examine its immense profits from spices, textiles, and tea alongside the darker legacy of colonial violence, enslavement, and the suppression of indigenous communities. Finally, the episode looks at how corruption, costly administration, and international conflict led to the company’s collapse and nationalization in 1799, leaving behind a legacy of both business innovation and profound human suffering.