The primary reason that motivated the Netherlands to colonize Southeast Asia was:
- They expected to make large profits by sending spices back to Europe.
The Dutch were primarily driven by economic interests when colonizing Southeast Asia. They established trade networks and monopolies in the region to control the spice trade, particularly nutmeg, cloves, and pepper, which were highly valued in Europe during that time. The pursuit of profits through trade and commerce was a key factor in the Dutch colonization efforts in Southeast Asia.
