What made this inadequacy absolutely certain was the
Citations (1)
- The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers whole source · open book
It was dependent, too, upon the Dutch, even during hostilities; “by 1640 three-quarters of the goods in Spanish ports were delivered in Dutch ships,”50 to the profit of the nation’s greatest foes. Not surprisingly, Spain suffered from a constant trade imbalance, which could be made good only by the re-export of American gold and silver. The horrendous costs of 140 years of war were, therefore, imposed upon a society which was economically ill-equipped to carry them.
chapter: Strengths and Weaknesses of the Habsburg Bloc