Table of contentsTimelineList of figures and tablesIntroduction1. The establishment of De Nederlandsche Bank and the abolition of the slave trade in 18142. The first directors, their parents, and grandparents3. Inspiration after British abolition in 18334. Slavery-related services5. Constitutional reform, abolition, and apprenticeshipConclusion and recommendationsAfterwordAppendix 1. Legal regulation of indemnification through DNBAppendix 2. Persons investigated and their terms of officeList of archives consultedNotesLiteratureIndex'Serving the chain?' is a history of De Nederlandsche Bank in which particular attention is paid to its links with slavery, both as a factor in the economy and as a subject of political debate.In the nineteenth century, when the principal cultural, political, and financial institutions of the Netherlands were established, slavery was still very much part of the nation’s global imperial structures. Dutch families, institutions, and governments are increasingly interested in the role their predecessors played in this history of colonialism and enslavement. This book is a history of De Nederlandsche Bank in which particular attention is paid to its links with slavery, both as a factor in the economy and as a subject of political debate. Because De Nederlandsche Bank served the Dutch ministery of Colonies and consequently followed Dutch trade interests, the bank's history intersects with the history of slavery. The investigation in this book focuses not only upon DNB’s formal involvement but also on the private involvement of its directors. In addition, it examines whether the bank and its directors played any role in the abolition of slavery.In the nineteenth century, when the principal cultural, political, and financial institutions of the Netherlands were established, slavery was still very much part of the nation’s global imperial structures. Dutch families, institutions, and governments are increasingly interested in the role their predecessors played in this history of colonialism and enslavement. This book is a history of De Nederlandsche Bank in which particular attention is paid to its links with slavery, both as a factor in the economy and as a subject of political debate. Because De Nederlandsche Bank served the Dutch ministery of Colonies and consequently followed Dutch trade interests, the bank's history intersects with the history of slavery. The investigation in this book focuses not only upon DNB’s formal involvement but also on the private involvement of its directors. In addition, it examines whether the bank and its directors played any role in the abolition of slavery.