A big part is the lack of manpower in the home provinces. Sure, the Netherlands were agriculturally very productive, and manpower shortages could be mitigated by recruiting from the north German cities and the southern Netherlands. The Netherlands never could get the settlement colonialism going, and chose a system of trading posts.
Let us assume that the Netherlands stayed United during the 80yw and they secede as the 17 provinces, but still as part of the holy roman empire. It is very well possible that this becomes a major player in the north west, essentially controlling the imperial trade with the new world and controlling the Rhine estuary.
Now, if we follow the original expansion pattern, we see colonies starting around Manhattan and the northern coast of Brazil. On the African continent, the cape becomes a stop in the "oostvaart". The Dutch empire, more powerful than OTL, would be able to compete with the British east asia company. OTL trading posts and colonies lost to the british would stay Dutch and colonies that didn't succeed OTL might in TTL.
If we wank the Dutch a bit, the Dutch empire could span all the way from the Indus, across Indonesia, to Taiwan and nagasaki in the north and Australia in the south.
Internally, this would be a combined system of settlement colonies in rather empty areas (Cape, Australia) to support the long Long haul spice trade, and trade posts and manufactories in the more densely populated areas like the Indies and Taiwan.
The Dutch are (sometimes) known for their tolerance, if it meant for more trading opportunities (Nagasaki), while they could be absolutely vicious in Indonesia, just to farm more spice. I don't see the colonial empire collapsing from within, only when the home provinces in Europe are threatened, then collapse could happen. With France on the doorstep, that is a distinct possibility, and the Netherlands better be aligned to a great power that could support them against France in Europe.
Ofc, this would be a massive change also in the home provinces, especially concerning the moedernegotie with the baltics and the trade with Italy. Politically, either a republic or a very hands off monarchy regarding economics.
It really depends on the situation at home. If you go for max-wanking, some colonies in north america, some in south america, the cape with an ever-expanding supporting region of boers who farm and raise cattle. Australia as a "second cape" with cattle and other farmers making a living there and creating a manpower-pool and supporting base close to the colonies. Ceylon, indonesia and taiwan would be fully controlled "Win-gewesten" (exploitation colonies). Depending on their chances in India and the arabian peninsula you might see something similar to what the british did there.So the Dutch colonial empire would consist of a couple moderate colonies in north and south america, trading posts of economic importance scattered across asia, all of indonesia (including malaya i assume) and south africa(expanding beyond the cape i assume)?
Wasn't Indonesia less of a settlement colony and more of a colony for resources? i don't think they did much actual European settlement thereCould the Dutch language become the main language* in Indonesia similar to Spanish in Central America?
*The language with the largest number of speakers.
Do you need much European settlement for Dutch or a Dutch derived langauge, to become the most spoken language in the area of Indonesia?Wasn't Indonesia less of a settlement colony and more of a colony for resources? i don't think they did much actual European settlement there
Not necessarily, but then that would require Dutch education to the natives in some form, educating the natives of indonesia, which i believe they used to harvest spice against their will, might not be the best decision for the Dutch.Do you need much European settlement for Dutch or a Dutch derived langauge, to become the most spoken language in the area of Indonesia?
This requires so much money more to education than the Dutch wanted to spend. Malayan already functioned as a Lingua Franca and as the greatest part of the population were living on Java this was an acceptable solution.Do you need much European settlement for Dutch or a Dutch derived langauge, to become the most spoken language in the area of Indonesia?
The dessa schools set up in the 19th century were using Malayan. Only higher education was in dutch, notably law.Not necessarily, but then that would require Dutch education to the natives in some form, educating the natives of indonesia, which i believe they used to harvest spice against their will, might not be the best decision for the Dutch.
Yep, And if they spend too much effort on trying to Dutchifize Indonesia then their other colonies which they actually could Dutchifize would likely be neglected, not to mention the money problems they'd get from doing it.This requires so much money more to education than the Dutch wanted to spend. Malayan already functioned as a Lingua Franca and as the greatest part of the population were living on Java this was an acceptable solution.
that's a large Dutch GuyanaWould be fascinating seeing the Dutch end up gaining all of the Guyanas (including Spanish Guyana in what is now OTL Venezuela) as well as other colonies from the Portuguese, such as parts of Brazil near the Guyanas (mainly the Guiana shield or up to the north side of the Amazon River and the Rio Negro tributary to even the east side of the Orinoco via the Casiquiare canal / river - for a more natural border as opposed to Dutch Brazil) as well as parts of Angola and Mozambique.
Edit - The following M-BAM map is roughly how a ATL Dutch Guyana would look in such a scenario.