International influence -- Explaining growth -- Comparative colonialism -- Statistical regularities -- Nested inference -- Destroying Mozambique -- Constructing Korea -- Brazilian variations -- Holistic empiricism.

"This revealing portrait of the Dutch Empire repositions our understanding of modern empires from the terrestrial to the oceanic. It highlights the importance of shipping, port cities, and maritime culture to the political struggles of the 1920s and 30s. Port cities such as Jeddah, Shanghai, and...