TED-Ed: How one of the most profitable companies in history rose to power | Adam Clulow

The Dutch East India Company, formed in 1602, became the most profitable corporation by monopolizing the spice trade, particularly nutmeg from Indonesia's Banda Islands. The company's success came at a high human cost, as it waged war and colonized regions. The Bandanese resisted Dutch control, leading to violent conflicts. In 1621, Jan Pieterszoon Coen led a brutal campaign to subjugate the Bandanese, resulting in genocide and enslavement. The Dutch secured a nutmeg monopoly, boosting their economy and contributing to the Dutch Golden Age. Coen, despite criticism, was celebrated as a hero, with his legacy still debated today.

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