Nogmaals: het Nederlandse geboortepatroon en de godsdienstfactor gedurende de laatste halve eeuw. Een antwoord op het commentaar van Hofstee

Samenvatting

An amplification of an earlier criticism of E. W. Hofstee's article on Dutch pop growth (See SA 1837-B2107, -B2108, & B2130). The main objection is that Hofstee has overlooked some aspects of the problem under investigation by ignoring the nature, f & intensity of factors responsible for the check on the decline of Dutch birth rates during this cent, esp the soc background of the comparatively strong resistance against the decline of birth rates found among Roman Catholics (RC's). The following aspects of the problem are indicated: (1) The marked diff between RC & non-RC fertility figures does not set in until the 20th cent, when the Church & the RC pol'al party started their strong campaign against the decreasing fertility rates in the Netherlands. Methods included strongly propagating their views on the subject, establishing anti-neo-Malthusian org's, & issuing local by-laws prohibiting the sale of contraceptive articles. (2) The modern dynamic pattern of culture, so valuable to Hofstee,-is characterized by a positive appreciation of soc change. Soc change, however, may remove traditional resistance against any decrease in the fertility rate, as well as originate new forms of such resistance. In the RC provinces of Brabant & Limburg provision of fam allowance was first introduced into Dutch wage-agreements; new org's promoted & protected the large fam; & new means of COMM facilitated contacts between priest & layman. (3) Little or no mention is made of the indicators necessary to register exactly what is meant by the modern dynamic cultural pattern. Consequently, it will be difficult to determine exactly the relation between decreasing fertility rates & this pattern. (4) Hofstee does not mention the most energetic efforts made by the Dutch RC Church to fight neo-Malthusianism & promote the increase & interests of the large fam. Nor does he pay any attention to the soc, cultural & pol'al consequences of the constant rise in the % of RC's in the total/sum Dutch pop figure. This RC share is steadily increasing from 1947-1960;this rise is even greater than from 1930-1947. (See SA 1837-B2107, -B2108, & -B2130). Modified AA.