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The Republic of the Seven United Provinces (1581–1795); Rise and Decline

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Abstract

The new Dutch republic hovered between restoring feudal institutions or installing absolute sovereignty. The provincial States took authority upon themselves after separating from Spain. But, the delegation model proved unsuited to cope with the exigencies of (foreign) policy. A fight for power emanated between stadhouder and raadspensionaris. Absolute rule prevailed, when the stadhouder representing the nobility took the authority of raadspensionaris upon himself. The Dutch case differed from England where Long Parliament was restored after the civil wars. Dutch vigor disappeared, when repeated purges diminished elite ranks and installed a corrupt parasitic regime. The republic’s military role was played out after 1672 and leadership moved to the English. Religious dissidents had moved to the republic, but the Pilgrim Fathers took sail, when they did not obtain civil rights. Cities declined, when a small landed elite appropriated surpluses. Discourse ended, when deviant views were punished. The republic fell into Napoleon’s hands without much opposition. But, French ruled did not restore rights. Absolute monarchy was installed after Napoleon’s defeat. Constitutional monarchy was only established in 1848, when a new constitution came into effect.

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Brouwer, M. (2016). The Republic of the Seven United Provinces (1581–1795); Rise and Decline. In: Governmental Forms and Economic Development. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-42040-0_5

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