Great book for smartest people. I think that is almost easy to partaking between extremism and democracy, but for the very meaning of liberalism you need to read this one. A history intertwined of cooperativism and individualism.
The narration of the history of Amsterdam start when the battle with sea for gaining earth was ongoing. As described here there was nothing in common of that society represented today in later chapters. The best effort of the author is to be simple and to bring us at the center of the questions: the will of freedom.
The first battle was won as many other later, and the rebellion to religions play a key role for independence from Spain in the battle successive.
The art give another message of hope, of opening and of engagement with artists as Rembrandt, Van Heyden & Van Gogh, anyone that has passed from Amsterdam and taken the inspiration from freedom of ideas and spirits & then revolutionizing the field of painting.
Philosophy laid the foundation of liberalism as known today, think only of Spinoza and Locke two that have enjoyed freedom of writing far from their troubled countries.
In politics I pointed out that the independence of the Netherlands start from the harbor of Amsterdam, in commerce based from the VOC trade company and the colonization of New Amsterdam (New York) or in England with the capitulation of King James II by hand of William II born dutch as Willem III that change the destiny of Europe or on origins of stock exchange market.
Multatuli was a writer worth of change in perception of exploitation in colonization, and then again the 19 century change in a word Golden Age Amsterdam, as 20 century the revendication for better conditions of life through enhancement of pay, work condition and parity gender leave us full of stories worth to tell you.
The Second World War was a very disastrous for Amsterdam and form the start of sexual revolution and the way for enlargement of our rights as the free cannabis, brothels, and squatter movement. So finally the difficulties of integrating 178 nationalities in one city is a great weigh, but Russell Shorto gave a vision of experimental hope for the future (not to mention what the city have to offer in the fields of music/art festivals that make a new generation of people, jobs and mobility through the world).
Fruitful and readable is apt for any ages.
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