Is the business of conquest the conquest of business?

Summary, in English

This case explores the interplay between commerce and colonial expansion through the lens of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) in the 17th century. Tasked with securing profit while navigating geopolitical rivalries, the VOC’s decision-makers faced dilemmas that blurred the lines between trade and conquest. This case places students in the role of the Heeren XVII, the governing board of the VOC, requiring them to evaluate where the company should expand next. While commercial logic dictates efficiency and profitability, expansion carries unforeseen ethical, social, and political consequences. The case challenges students to grapple with decision-making under uncertainty, much like historical actors did, without the benefit of hindsight. By analyzing economic incentives, risk assessment, and ethical dilemmas, students reflect on the historical realities of corporate-driven expansion and its modern parallels. Ultimately, the case asks whether commercial ambition inevitably leads to political dominance and whether business leaders bear responsibility for the long-term consequences of their decisions. Designed for business, history, and political economy courses, this case encourages debate on globalization, ethics, and the power dynamics of trade.

• Author: Igor Martins
• Department/s: Department of Economic History
• Publishing year: 2025-07-22
• Language: English
• Links: https://www.thecasecentre.org/products/view?id=208126
• Document type: Teaching case
• Publisher: The Case Centre
• Topic: Economic History
• Status: Published
• Project: The Cape of the Good Hope Panel: Long-term studies of growth, inequality and labour coercion in the global south; The establishment, growth and legacy of a settler colony: Quantitative panel studies of the political economy of Cape Colony