Q: 72 (IAS/1994)
question_subject:
History
question_exam:
IAS
stats:
0,181,413,341,181,47,25
keywords:
{'joint stock company': [0, 1, 0, 0], 'danish': [1, 2, 0, 0], 'india': [8, 1, 7, 13], 'dutch': [1, 0, 0, 0]}
The Dutch were the first ones to start a joint-stock company to trade with India.
Option 1, the Portuguese, is incorrect because they established a trading post in India but didn`t create a joint-stock company for this purpose.
Option 3, the French, is also incorrect. While the French did establish a company, the French East India company, it was after the Dutch had already set up their joint-stock company.
Finally, option 4, the Danish is inaccurate as they entered the trade scene with India later on and their influence was not as strong.
In conclusion, it was the Dutch who first introduced a joint-stock company, the Dutch East India Company, in 1602 to facilitate trade with India implying that answer 2 is indeed correct.