⏳ History & Biography
The Tulip Mania That Was Smaller Than Its Legend
The Dutch Republic, 1636–1637
The Modern Polymath@modern_polymath•2 min read
Flowers Worth a House?1 / 3
In the winter of 1636–37, prices for rare tulip bulbs in the Dutch Republic rose dramatically and then collapsed in February 1637. The episode became a symbol of financial madness.
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A vivid story can become the standard example long before anyone checks it.
The Legend Grows2 / 3
Later accounts, especially an 1841 book by Charles Mackay, described ruined families and a nation gripped by frenzy. These tales relied heavily on moralising pamphlets written to warn against speculation.
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Be careful when the main sources were written to teach a lesson.
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