Abstract
Foreigners often typify the Dutch people as ‘nuchter’ while having some difficulty in pronouncing this word correctly. ‘Nuchter’ means cool, not easy emotionally aroused and it refers to rational behaviour. This attitude is reflected in the political system. Dutch politics can be characterised as extremely proportionate — meaning that even very small parties can be represented in parliament and that every interest group can have its say — as well as being very compromise seeking, since no party ever has a majority.
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References
A. Jacobs, Herinneringen Nijmegen, Sun reprint, 1978/1924. p. 94, translation Monique Leyenaar.
Ibid. p. 95
J. Bussemaker and R. Voet, `Introduction’, in J. Bussemaker and R. Voet (eds.) Gender, Participation and Citizenship in the Netherlands Aldershot, Ashgate, 1998, p. 6.
In 2004 parliament is discussing a cabinet proposal for a constitutional change stating that from 2006 onwards mayors will be directly elected by the citizens.
P.J. Oud en J. Bosmans, Honderd Jaren. Een Eeuw van Staatkundige Vormgeving in Nederland, 1840–1940 Assen, van Gorcum, 1982, pp. 1–494
Ibid. p. 221.
In the parliamentary elections of 2003, 80 per cent of all voters voted for a list by giving their vote to the first candidate on the list.
In 2003, the government submitted to parliament a bill concerning the reform of the electoral system. The draft bill suggests a mixed system. Half of the seats (75) are elected through the list-PR system with one single constituency and the other half are elected through multimember constituencies.
A. Lijphart, 1968; R. Andeweg and G. Irwin, Governance and Politics of the Netherlands New York, Palgrave, 2002.
R. Andeweg and G. Irwin, 2002, pp. 140, 141
A. Lijphart, 1968, pp. 144–160.
R. Andeweg and G. Irwin, 2002, p. 35.
J. Swiebel and J. Outshoorn, `Feminism and the State, the Case of the Netherlands’, paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Dutch Political Science Association, Twente, June 1991, p. 6.
See for example H. Hernes and E.Hänninen-Salmelin, `Women in the Corporate System’, in E. Haavio-Mannila et al. (eds.), 1985, p. 122; J. Lovenduski, 1986, p. 166; J. Oldersma, De Vrouw die Vanzelf Spreekt Leiden, DSWO Press, 1996.
This part is based on the extensive research of Hella van de Velde on women in the political parties. We presented a paper together at the Joint Sessions of the ECPR, Essex on 23–27 March 1991: Women’s Access to Political Parties, the Netherlands’. In 1994, Hella van de Velde published an extensive study in Dutch about the role of women in Dutch parties titled: Vrouwen van de Partij. De integratie van vrouwen in politieke partijen in Nederland, 1919–1990 Leiden, DSWO Press, 1994.
J.C. Schokking, De Vrouw in de Nederlandse Politiek, Assen, Van Gorkum, 1958, pp. 29, 30. Translation Monique Leyenaar.
The ARP frequently referred to the following bible texts: `Then the Lord God said, it is not good for the man to be alone; I shall make a partner suited to him’ (Genesis 2:18); `To the woman He said, I shall give you great labour in childbearing, with labour you will bear children. You will desire your husband; but he will be your master’(Genesis 3:16); `[And to the man He said:] and only by the sweat of your brow will you win your bread until you return to the earth’ (Genesis 3:19); `Wives be subject to your husband as though to the Lord’ (Ephesians 5:22); `For the man is the head of the woman, just as Christ is head of the church’ (Ephesians 5:23).
A Catholic national party organisation was not established until 1926 when the Roomsch-Katholieke Staatspartij (RKSP), the Roman-Catholic State Party, was founded. Earlier however an association of local Catholic branches had existed.
J.C. Schoking, 1958, p. 151.
Handelingen der Staten Generaal 1916/1917 Tweede Kamer, p. 153.
H. van Spanning, De Christelijk Historische Unie. Enige Hoofdlijnen van Haar Geschiedenis dissertatie RUL, Leiden, 1988, p. 181.
J.C. Schokking, 1958, p. 113.
J. Outshoorn, Vrouwenemancipatie en Socialisme, een Onderzoek naar de Houding van de SDAP ten Aanzien van het Vrouwenvraagstuk tussen 1894 en 1919 Nijmegen, 1973, p. 88.
Rapport van de A.R. commissie-inzake — Het Passieve Vrouwenkiesrecht, 1921, pp. 27–28.
J.C. Schokking, 1958, p. 441.
H.S.S. Kuyper, `De Anti-Revolutionaire vrouw en het staatkundig leven’, in J. Kampen (ed.), Schrift en Historie, Gedenkboek bij het 50-Jarig Bestaan der Georganiseerde ARP 1878–1928 1928, p. 446.
Annual report of the CHU, 1940.
G. Veldhuijzen, Wat bezielde die vrouwen? Viffenveertig jaar Centrale can CH-vrouwen De Meern, Centrale van CH-vrouwen, 1979.
J.C. Schokking, 1958, p. 113.
In an article in its Program of Principles the LSP formulated one of its purposes as: `The complete political, judicial and economic equalisation of men and women’ (Beginselprogramma LSP 1921, Art. 6). The VDB included comparable statements in several successive political programs.
The VDB cabinet minister Marchant, the same person who presented the bill which established women’s suffrage 20 years earlier, introduced several bills to restrict the participation of women in the labour force.
Minutes of the executive of The Women’s Caucus of the LSP, 18 June 1937.
Minutes of the national executive of the VDB, 1926, no date (in the archive of the women’s club of the VDB, IIAV).
U. Jansz, Vrouwen Ontwaakt! Amsterdam, Bert Bakker, 1983, pp. 209–210.
See, for 1914 and 1920, Arbeidersjaarboekje 1914 p. 31 and Arbeidersjaarboekje 1920 p. 151; and for 1939, U. Jansz, 1983, p. 210.
For a comprehensive history of the women’s organisation of the SDAP and the PvdA, see U. Jansz, 1983.
J.C. Schokking, 1958, cites from quotations of pope Pius XII concerning this issue, p. 152.
J.C. Schokking, 1958, p. 154.
J.C. Schokking, 1958, p. 158.
Rapport Nolte, 10 July 1957.
Rapport van de A.R. Commissie Donner, 1949, p. 18.
An example is the popularity of the book Man and Woman in Public Life (Man én vrouw in het volle leven) written by a woman party member F.T. Diemer-Lindeboom and published in 1949. The book was praised by the party leadership and the press. Party members organised meetings to study and discuss the book. In her book Diemer-Lindeboom argued convincingly in favour of an unrestricted participation of women in politics.
F.T. Diemer-Lindeboom, `Honderd Jaar ARP en de Vrouw’, in C. Bremmer (ed.), Personen en Momenten, uit de Geschiedenis van de ARP Franeker Weyer, 1980, p. 191.
G. Veldhuijzen, 1979.
For a comprehensive history of women’s organisations in the PvdA, see U. Jansz, 1983.
See M. Leyenaar and H. van de Velde, `Belangenbehartiging door vrouwen. Vrouwenpartijen’, in Acta Politica XXIV, no. 1, 1989, pp. 3–29.
Evolutie, no. 26, 1919.
Pamphlet, `Reedenen van bestaan van de ANVO’, 1919.
Pamphlet of Practisch Beleid 1946.
See J. Kool-Smit, Hé Zus, Ze Houen ons Eronder. Een Boek voor Vrouwen en Oudere Meisjes Utrecht, Bruna, 1972.
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Leyenaar, M. (2004). The Netherlands: Political Rights for Women. In: Political Empowerment of Women. Nijhoff Law Specials, vol 59. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-5606-8_4
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