This poster presents a data-driven analysis of workforce dynamics within the Dutch East India Company (VOC) between 1700 and 1780. Using an enriched dataset of over 676,934 contracts, the study combines descriptive statistics and predictive modeling to examine patterns in rank, regional origin, and contract outcomes. The results reveal persistent structural imbalances, including high mortality rates, insufficient recruitment in key occupational groups, and unequal workforce distribution across regions and ranks. Predictive models show that workforce outcomes follow structured and explainable patterns rather than random variation. The findings suggest that internal labor dynamics contributed to the long-term instability of the VOC, complementing traditional explanations focused on external pressures.
Bakhtiyorova et al. (Mon,) studied this question.