University of Cambridge > Talks.cam > Cabinet of Natural History > Natural gains or capital down the drain? The debate over the draining of the Haarlemmermeer

Natural gains or capital down the drain? The debate over the draining of the Haarlemmermeer

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The seventeenth-century Dutch Republic, strongly impacted by the ‘Little Ice Age’, saw the rise of large-scale projects designed to improve lands for agriculture and counter the risks of flooding. Though not as heavily debated as similar initiatives in early modern England, such projects did give rise to discussions about the proper ways to intervene in and exploit nature. In this paper, Anna-Luna Post will examine the debate over the potential draining of the Haarlemmermeer between two landmeters, Jan Adriaenszoon Leeghwater and Claes Arentsen Coleveldt. She will explore their published treatises to reveal opposing views on man’s relation to nature, risk and profit, the public interest, and the expertise needed to serve it.

This talk is part of the Cabinet of Natural History series.

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