Age of Revolutions

Washington Post columnist and CNN host Fareed Zakaria — author of The Gang of Three and The Future of Freedom — weaves historical facts and economic trends to offer fresh perspectives on the causes and results of revolutions, past and present.

Holland, England, France

The Dutch Republic was founded in 1588, and by the 17th century, it was the wealthiest nation in Europe. The Dutch rejected absolute monarchies and pursued republicanism, and the Dutch Golden Age offered freedom of expression to thinkers and religious minorities. The republic’s rise to global power remains relevant, proving that a small nation with a modest military can dominate through economic growth and innovation.