Conclusion
It is personally undeniable that the Dutch mercantile culture of the past still remains strongly intact in the present day. Despite this, this should not be any reason for a manifestation of ill feelings towards the country. These traits are strictly both stereotypes and a self-image, and should never be taken too seriously. It is simply a national identity that stretches from the roots up, and should unequivocally be seen as a source of pride rather than shame. The frugal and pragmatic characteristics are possibly responsible for other stereotypes and possible self-images. One stereotype that regards their social nature is the idea of them being extremely direct in conversation. This entails that they are quick to the subject, with expectations of a precise answer. One could argue this stereotype is nothing more than a transcendent trait from their pragmatic nature. It is highly plausible the idea of being direct entirely came from negotiation skills dating all the way back to the 1600s. Possibly even developed in the Euronext Amsterdam, the first fully functioning stock exchange market that is still running to this day. This also links to the scientific advancements which occurred during the Golden Age, as there are assertations suggesting that the pragmatic nature of merchants leaked throughout the Dutch community and was the catalyst of this expansion of knowledge. This previous example shows how the self-image as merchants have influenced the Dutch in numerous aspects of their culture and history, beyond the economic side of things. The Dutch are a proud community of people who are full of confidence in their voice, unapologetic for their own opinions. The fact that much of their stereotype and self-image stems from a growth of merchants five centuries ago is truly fascinating, and the thought of how much further these traits which are not even entirely accurate (as stated in the introduction), can pave the way for Dutch culture and society, making it an interesting anecdote for the future.