Career
He submitted a thesis about fourteenth century statehood and earned a doctorate degree in July 1860 (from Utrecht University, because the Athenaeum Illustre lacked the right to confer such degrees). In the following year, Quack worked as a clerk at the provincial government of North Holland, then became a journalist, and also worked for some time at the Amsterdam Chamber of Commerce. From 1860 onward, he wrote for the literary journal De Gids, of which he became an editor in 1863.
In September of 1863, he secured a position as a secretary of the state railway company.
The first volume of this book would appear in 1877. The last, twenty years later.
Also in 1877, Quack left his academic position, to be succeeded by Johan d"Aulnis de Bourouill, and took a job at De Nederlandsche Bank. He proceeded with his historical work, and in fact one of the reasons for switching jobs was the increase in salary, which he needed to buy more books for his studies.
Quack was to join the board of directors of De Nederlandsche Bank in 1885, also becoming professor extraordinair of the history of political economy at the University of Amsterdam, which he remained until 1894.
According to Ferdinand Domela Nieuwenhuis, with whom Quack exchanged some letters, Quack lacked either courage or drive, and with these qualities, he might have become "our Lassalle". Theory and practice were in a state of tension in Quack"s life: during the 1903 railroad strikes, he was president of the board of the state railroad company and supported the firing of 11% of the company"s personnel.