What did the Dutch East India Company do to maintain their monopoly?

The Dutch East India Company, among the first multinational corporations, employed several strategies to maintain its monopoly over trade, especially in the spice trade in Southeast Asia. The correct choice revolves around the aggressive and often violent tactics the company used to eliminate competition and ensure dominance. They utilized military force to suppress local rivals, including mercenary tactics and punitive expeditions against those who threatened their trading interests. This approach helped them maintain control over shipping routes and trading posts, allowing for substantial profits and a concentrate monopoly on valuable commodities.

In contrast, the options about education and cultural exchange, local governance, and joint ventures do not accurately reflect the primary methods employed by the company. While these strategies may have been used to some extent, they were not pivotal in securing the monopoly that characterized the Dutch East India Company's strategies during its peak. Instead, the company's reliance on violence and intimidation solidified its dominance in the competitive markets of the time.