Arthur Weststeijn, Ph.D. (2010) in History, European University Institute in Florence, is Director of Historical Studies at the Royal Netherlands Institute in Rome. His research focuses on the intellectual history of the early-modern Dutch Republic from an international perspective. This is his first book.

"This book fills a gaping hole in the historiography of seventeenth-century political thought." – Justus Nipperdey, in: European Review of History – Revue europeenne d'histoire 20/2 (2013), pp. 317-318"Weststeijn’s timely study, [...] marks a major step forward in reassessing the de la Courts as important and influential thinkers in their own right. The book provides an extensive contextualization of their work against its political and intellectual background [...]." – Freya Sierhuis, in: Renaissance Quarterly 65/3 (Fall 2012), pp. 927-929

• AcknowledgmentIntroduction1. THE MAKING OF AN OEUVREA Humanist EducationThe Dutch DebateThe Making of an OeuvreConclusion: Politics as a Ballgame2. THE RHETORIC OF THE MARKETPersuading the PassionsIn the Public Arena: Rhetoric in ActionFables and FranknessConclusion: The Rhetoric of the Market3. WISE MERCHANTSHobbes and the Foundation of the CommonwealthCitizenship in Theory and PracticeThe Ethics of Self-InterestRepresenting the Wise MerchantConclusion: Commercial Citizenship in Perspective4. THE COMMERCIAL COMMONWEALTHThe Batavian AthensThe Politics of Free TradeMonarchy DethronedTowards a Merchant DemocracyConclusion: The Radical Republic5. CONCORD AND TOLERATIONThe Erasmian MomentThe Relation between Church and StateToleration: Pluralism for the Sake of UnityEpilogue: From Freedom of Religion to Freedom of Speech?CONCLUSIONThe Brothers De la Court and the Commercial Republican TraditionBibliographyIndex