To build and sustain trust: long-distance correspondence of Dutch seventeenth-century merchants

The existence of trust between business partners was imperative for the functioning of Dutch early modern long-distance trade, as this was the prerequisite for the extension of credit. In this article it is shown how business correspondence was a crucial instrument for the establishment and continuance of relations of trust. Polite phrases were used to express respect for a business partner. More importantly, merchants strived to be complete in their provision of information and regular in their correspondence, thus showing their dedication and reliability. Letters were also used to exchange information about other merchants’ dependability, hereby reinforcing or weakening relations of trust. Contrary to historiographical insights, family ties turn out to be of limited significance in Dutch long-distance trade. The amount of business letters exchanged with relatives abroad is significantly lower than the number exchanged between unrelated partners. Furthermore, the content of business correspondence between kinsmen was similar to correspondence between merchants who were not related. Just like unrelated merchants, relatives had to use correspondence to sustain relations of trust. Kinship turns out not to be seen as a guarantee of trustworthiness — without which every merchant would most certainly fail as a businessman.