Introduction

In 1992 Charles P. Kindleberger, internationally esteemed as a distinguished professor of economics but less well known as a cadet, ordinary seaman and deckboy, published an interesting short volume on a subject that has recently become en vogue: maritime labour markets. In Mariners and Markets Professor Kindleberger attempts to synthesize much of the research on various aspects of maritime labour that has appeared during the last couple of decades. Unfortunately, many of these publications leave the reader with more questions than answers. In that sense it is understandable that someone might succumb to the urge - especially when for old time's sake his heart longs for the deep blue sea — to try to fit all the pieces of the maritime puzzle together to create a clear and consistent picture of the social side of seafaring. It is also conceivable that one might overlook the fact that it is at best debatable whether such a task is possible.

It is obvious that Professor Kindleberger was intellectually stimulated - or irritated - to write his survey of maritime labour markets by statements about its efficiency. Some work on nineteenth-century New Bedford whaling, which claimed that markets were efficient - that is, that supply and demand were in harmony or at least moving towards a kind of equilibrium - apparently provided the impetus. Employee and employer, it was claimed, co-existed peacefully and were free to decline employment if wage levels were acceptable. Moreover, the market was “populated by rational, intelligent, informed and maximizing individuals who make decisions independently.”

There are good reasons to doubt the global validity of such statements. As Professor Kindleberger rightly notes, “crimping” and “shanghaiing” were common and neither implies freedom of choice. In short, there appears to be a gap between theory and reality. Moreover, it is doubtful whether the concept of efficiency - whatever it may mean - will help to deepen our understanding of how maritime labour markets functioned in the age of sail. Or to put it in the form of a question, is it plausible that a maritime labour market - independent of “national” labour markets - existed? In this paper I shall try to examine whether the notion of efficiency helps us to understand the Dutch maritime labour market better. For reasons to be explained later, I will concentrate on the first subjects tackled by Kindleberger: recruitment and pay.