At a time of religious intolerance and censorship, the Dutch Republic stood out in Continental Europe as a beacon of comparatively high tolerance and free speech. Along with a cosmopolitan culture, these traits made it an early focal point for art, science, literature, and philosophy.

Principles didn’t make the Dutch Republic a haven for free thought - we can attribute this to the decentralisation of power. Local and provincial institutions were strong, whereas the central political establishment was weak. After the revolt against the Spanish Habsburgs, the population didn’t have an appetite for a distant top-down authority and fiercely protected local autonomy.

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