From ancient times to the present, colonies have paid the price of blood or high "ransom" if they want to become independent, but there is one small South American country with the exception.
This small South American country, called Suriname, covers an area of only 164,000 square kilometers, the size of the mainland province of Henan, but it is a must-compete place for European powers.
In order to get it, the Netherlands even exchanged New York for Britain, which picked up sesame seeds and lost watermelons, which made the Netherlands beat its chest to this day.
Pictured: A little girl in Suriname
What is even more puzzling is that in order to make Suriname independent, the Netherlands paid 3.5 billion yuan in "breakup fees". Such a fairy "ex", breaking up not only did not tear his face, but also received money?
Suriname is really the lucky one in the colonies.
And this luck, is it the "kindness" from the Netherlands, or the "shrewdness" of Suriname?
Suriname stew
Suriname, located in the north of South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean, is a leisurely life of hunting and fishing by its abundant natural resources.
Until the end of the 15th century, travel blogger Columbus discovered the New World of America, the old school colonial powers led by Spain and Portugal flocked to it, and Europe once again set off a new wave of seafaring colonization.
Suriname, the pearl hidden in the forest, was also lifted and became a Spanish colony.
For Spain, though, Suriname is a chicken rib.
Pictured: Suriname forest
Since Suriname's forest coverage rate is as high as 93%, if Spain wants to develop, it will take a lot of manpower and material resources to harvest wood, which is costly and slow to return.
However, the number of overseas colonies is a symbol of the strength of a great power, and it is impossible to give up, so Spain had to plant a flag and circle the land first.
This circle is unbelievable, covering almost half of South America.
However, with the wave of independence, the Spanish colonies were revolutionized.
In order to suppress the unrest, Spain sent a large number of troops to support, so that the national strength was empty, and the reactionaries seized the opportunity to seize power.
The country is in shambles, and neighboring countries are watching.
Spain's international deterrent is setting down, while the Dutch upstart is rising like the rising sun.
Figure: Negotiations
As a leader of the upstart, the Netherlands not only has more than 10,000 merchant ships, far more than the total number of merchant ships in the entire European country, but also establishes trading points around the world, known as the "sea coachman".
The "coachman" came to South America and saw the port of Suriname at a glance.
In order to seize the blank market in South America, the Netherlands ignored Spain's opposition and forcibly built a new trading base in the port and arranged for immigration.
Spain, which was so angry that it jumped to its feet, immediately officially declared Suriname its territory.
Spain attempted to use international public opinion to coerce the Netherlands into abandoning Suriname. However, it has long been not the big brother of the past, and how can the nouveau riche be obedient.
Figure: Map of Suriname
Subsequently, France and Britain came to share a piece of the pie, and Suriname began the era of chaos.
France directly bit down the eastern coast of Suriname and took the name French Guiana.
Britain, when Suriname was its own back garden, sent a boatload of black slaves over with a wave of his hand, and built a large number of sugar cane plantations in the interior of Suriname.
Sugar cane is the raw material for making rum, and the Netherlands is the number one country to produce rum.
The British occupied Suriname, not only prying the Netherlands into a corner, but also robbing its market. It was unbearable, and the Netherlands decided to fight back.
The birth of the Little United Nations
In order to retake Suriname, the Netherlands officially declared war on Britain.
The two countries were evenly matched in terms of maritime equipment and military power, so that after two Anglo-Dutch wars, the two sides were still in a state of stalemate.
Finally, due to the changeable international situation, in order to avoid "praying mantis catching cicadas, yellow finches behind", the two sides discussed shaking hands and making peace.
The Netherlands was willing to exchange a colony in North America with British-occupied Suriname.
Britain took a look at the location and felt that it could be connected to its own colony and more convenient to manage, so it readily agreed.
And the Netherlands also secretly rejoiced, exchanging a barren colony for the fertile plantations of Suriname, which really made a profit.
Pictured: Map of New York occupied by the Netherlands
At this time, the Netherlands would never have imagined that the place it scoffed at would become the glittering New York today. And the Suriname it chose became the burden that it most wanted to get rid of in the future.
At the time, though, the Netherlands was very happy with its choice.
Not only could it take over the plantations left behind by the British, but also the roads and ports built by the British to transport sugar cane, which saved the Netherlands a lot of money.
The only thing the Netherlands has to continue to invest in is a large labor force.
In order to reduce costs, the Netherlands continued the British practice of buying large quantities of cheap and durable black slaves from Africa. And these black slaves not only had to work day and night, but also became a tool of entertainment for slave owners.
In search of excitement, slave owners often held hunts on plantations, and the prey was black slaves.
In their eyes, the life of a black slave was cheaper than that of a deer or a hare, and the ways to torture them were even more varied.
Pictured: Black slaves
Their atrocities against slaves in Suriname were criticized even by later historians: human inhumane acts against humans were almost at their limits.
Later, the long-oppressed black slaves, they took up the shovel in their hands and fought for freedom.
However, the slave owners had guns, and how could eggs touch stones, so they fled to the depths of the forests of Suriname.
In the forest, they lived with indigenous Indians, giving birth to a new ethnic group, the jungle blacks.
Then, with the abolition of slavery, the Netherlands, having lost cheap labor, set its sights on Southeast Asia.
While the Dutch were taking people from the Indonesian colonies, they cast a wide net and recruited overseas laborers in Southeast Asia.
At first, many people were willing to go to Suriname to work, but as the "predecessors" were gone, the Netherlands' reputation in Southeast Asia fell to the bottom.
After cutting the last Southeast Asian leeks, the Netherlands started the idea of Chinese again. What's more, even whites from Europe fooled into Suriname to work as coolies.
In this way, the Netherlands cobbled together a United Nations in Suriname.
Pictured: Ethnic composition of Suriname
Today, Suriname has a population of 617,000, of which 33% are Indians, 31% are Creoles, 15% are Indonesians, 10% are jungle blacks, and a few Indians, Chinese and Caucasians.
Due to its ethnic diversity, there is no cohesion within Suriname, which the Netherlands loves.
After all, the colony only needs silent lambs.
Suriname independence? Not independent
"There are aluminum mines in Suriname!"
This discovery made Holland smile crookedly. However, before it could investigate further, the neighboring United States had already sneaked in.
By the time the Netherlands came to its senses, Alcoa had taken root there.
Rushing and not running, fighting and fighting, what can the Netherlands do, can only cooperate.
The Netherlands is responsible for infrastructure and the United States is responsible for paying taxes.
Pictured: Surinamese girl
Due to the high wages and good benefits of Alcoa, many migrant workers on plantations have jumped ship, resulting in a shortage of labor on plantations and slowly declining. The aluminium company expanded its operations and gradually became the backbone of Suriname's economy.
As the mechanization of aluminum companies evolves, they need more literate workers. In order to cultivate talents, the aluminum company cooperated with the local area to organize schools. Seeing this, the Netherlands also launched a series of literacy campaigns and universal compulsory education.
After receiving education, Surinamese people were no longer willing to make fish under Dutch knives. At the mercy of the Americans, there were several riots, but at this time the Netherlands was also overwhelmed.
During World War II, the Netherlands was crushed on the ground by Germany, the royal family was forced into exile, and the Netherlands was torn apart.
When the war was over, the Netherlands had just recovered its breath and wanted to regain control of Suriname, only to find that the United States had become Suriname's spokesman.
Figure: Distance between Suriname and the Netherlands
The two countries contend, and Suriname gains.
In 1954, with the support of the United States, the Netherlands was forced to sign the Constitution of the Kingdom of the Netherlands with Suriname:
Suriname is self-governing by a local government, and the Netherlands cannot interfere in Suriname's internal affairs, but retains diplomatic and military powers. At the same time, the Netherlands must unconditionally support Suriname's economic development, and Suriname does not need to pay taxes to the Netherlands. In addition, Surinamese citizens have Dutch nationality and enjoy all the rights of Dutch citizenship.
Since then, Suriname has run a school, has no money, and looks for the Netherlands. Run a factory, no money, look for the Netherlands. Open a mine, no money, look for the Netherlands. Anyone who asks for money, just look to the Netherlands.
In just 10 years, Suriname's per capita GDP soared from $346 to $1,300, compared to $113 in China at the time.
To sum up the development of Suriname's open-hanging style, there are only 3 words "death for money".
Pictured: Ask for money
The Netherlands repented that it was not the beginning, and the colonial power was sucked by the colony, which was really laughing generously. The current Suriname is a burden that slows down the development of the Netherlands.
How to get rid of Suriname has become the biggest trouble in the Netherlands.
Suriname was forced to become truly independent
The Netherlands thought to himself: according to the trend of world development, the colonies will become independent. At that time, he can follow the trend and cut his seat with Suriname.
Unexpectedly, 20 years later, Suriname still has not moved.
The Netherlands did not calculate that Suriname did not care whether the country was independent or not, for them, living well was more important than anything else. And this affluence is also from the generosity of the Netherlands.
How could Suriname dig its own grave?
Look at Guyana on the left, life after independence, destitute. Looking at French Guiana on the right, it is not independent, and now has a per capita income of $20,000.
Pictured: Guyanese children
Suriname is fine, isn't it delicious to eat Dutch soft rice? Independence, impossible in this life!
Just when the Netherlands was desperate, its "savior" Aaron appeared.
In 1973, as the leader of the Democratic Party of Suriname, Henk Alon held high the banner of independence in his presidential speech in order to highlight his uniqueness.
As soon as the word "independence" came out, the Netherlands seemed to open a radar and immediately responded: colonization is the dregs of the old society, and we support the independence of Suriname!
When the Surinamese people found out, they were about to explode, and more than 1,000 people rushed to the government gate, holding banners and shouting "We don't want independence, we need the Queen of the Netherlands", and when they were excited, they also set fire to Aaron's photo.
Photo: Henk Aaron
Demonstrations in order not to be independent can be described as unique in the world.
Seeing this, the Netherlands immediately put independence negotiations on the agenda.
When negotiating, the Netherlands preemptively strikes: others are independent, either bloodshed or spend money. However, we look at the relationship for so many years, so we don't want anything, you just make an official announcement.
The Surinamese think tank, determined to fight to death, said: We have no money, if you have to force us to become independent, you will give us 6.5 billion guilders.
Who colony dares to be so arrogant, this is clearly not want to go!
It can be seen that if this negotiation fails, Suriname will definitely try its best to lock up with the Netherlands.
Pictured: Dutch retreat
In order to break the tail, the Netherlands can only pay. As a result, it offered to give Suriname 1.5 billion yuan, and the two sides parted each other. Suriname, however, refused: How can our feelings be measured in 1.5 billion? The minimum is 3.5 billion.
The Netherlands calculated that 3.5 billion would be better off Suriname than donating blood all the time.
Therefore, the Netherlands took advantage of Suriname's counteroffer and immediately agreed and signed the agreement. When Suriname came back to his senses, everything was a foregone conclusion.
In 1975, Suriname became a republic, ending nearly 400 years of Dutch colonization.
Where does the future lie in Suriname?
Suriname thought there was 3.5 billion in compensation that could be spent slowly. But he did not admit that after leaving the Netherlands, the money was not spent.
Since Suriname has no manufacturing industry, almost all domestic and industrial goods in the country rely on imports.
But before they separated from the Netherlands, they were sold to them at a low price in the Netherlands duty-free. So, they didn't even expect it to be a huge expense.
Moreover, the government also allocates funds to the military every year.
To add insult to injury, in Suriname, everyone who had money or ability retreated with the Netherlands, and the population directly fell by 1/3.
The lack of labor and the rupture of the capital chain have led to the closure of domestic factories, shops and restaurants.
Pictured: Street in Suriname
With the wave of bankruptcy, the number of unemployed vagrants is increasing, and various thefts and robberies are emerging one after another. The society is unstable, the economy is sluggish, and Suriname is in arrears even on the salaries of the army.
In 2015, the Alcoa Company, which had been operating in Suriname for nearly 100 years, decided to withdraw due to the completion of aluminum mine development, and Suriname's economy collapsed.
Today, the older generation is still immersed in the riches of the past, while the younger generation is trying their best to emigrate.
And where is Suriname's way out?
Pictured: Flag of Suriname
In fact, the current situation in Suriname is blamed on over-dependence, it is like a gnawing old people, gnawing the Netherlands and gnawing the United States, gnawing to the last nothing.
The development of a country requires not only nominal independence, but also spiritual self-reliance.
As the old saying goes, those who rely on others are trapped by themselves, and those who rely on themselves are self-sufficient.
Only by standing up by yourself is a long-term solution. So it is with people, and so is it with countries!
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Reference: Economic and Commercial Counsellor's Office of the Chinese Embassy in Suriname. Country (regional) guidelines for foreign investment cooperation
Climax "Suriname: Gateway to the Caribbean"
Author: Baishu
Editor: Zhenzhen