Informashon
‘Trustee of the Netherlands Antilles’ is a comprehensive study by Dutch economic historian Jaap van Soest that offers an exploration of the monetary and economic evolution of the Netherlands Antilles over a span of 150 years. Focusing particularly on the history of the Bank van de Nederlandse Antillen (BNA), the work delves into the institution’s establishment in 1828 and its development into the oldest still-operating central bank in the Western Hemisphere.
The book is structured into two interwoven narratives: one detailing the chronological history of the BNA, and the other providing a broader analysis of the economic development of the Netherlands Antilles. Van Soest utilizes primary sources from the bank’s archives, the Central Historical Archives of the Netherlands Antilles, and the General State Archives in the Netherlands to support his research.
Key themes include the challenges of establishing a stable monetary system in a colonial context, the impact of global economic shifts on the local economy, and the bank’s role during significant periods, such as the oil boom after 1915 and the tumultuous years of World War II. The study also examines the complexities of governance and economic policy in a colonial setting, highlighting tensions between local autonomy and metropolitan control.
Contents
Introduction ….. IX
Preface ….. XI
I Prospectus money, banking and the economy before 1828 ….. 1
II Opening the account money and banking, 1826-1828 ….. 29
III Stagnant economy the Antillean economy, 1828-1848 ….. 51
IV Dilemma of payees Economic revival money and banking, 1828-1848 ….. 77
VIA Credit without confidence the Antillean economy, 1848-1881….. 101
VIB Charity or business ? money and banking, 1848-1881 ….. 127
VII Economy in relapse the first private banks, the Antillean economy, 1881-1915 ….. 167
VIII Fourfold reconstruction money and banking, 1881-1907 ….. 193
IX Boom without economy the Antillean economy, 1915-1940 ….. 225
X Top of the list money and banking, 1907-1940 ….. 249
XI Economy for war and peace the Antillean economy, 1940-1961 ….. 249
XII Revolving credit money and banking, 1940-1961 ….. 305
XIII In search of a future money, banking and the economy after 1961 ….. 331
Appendix: the (Curaçaosche) Bank/Bank van de Nederlandse Antillen
I Basic documents, 1828, 1907, 1961 ….. 353
II Officers, 1828-1978 ….. 371
III Figures, 1828-1976 Bibliography Notes Index ….. 374
Bibliography ….. 379
Notes ….. 388
Index ….. 417
