Modern-kapitalistische industriëlen en politiek liberalisme in Nederland aan de vooravond van '1848': een gedeeltelijke toets van de bourgeoisiethese

Samenvatting

A partial test is presented of the so-called bourgeoisie thesis, which states that the rise of the capitalist mode of production caused a process of democratization in autocratic national governments, effected primarily by the bourgeoisie. A review of historical records & a variety of social & economic literature investigates whether a specific category of the Dutch capitalist bourgeoisie -- industrialists in the fields of production using steam power -- supported any of the national movements for political liberalization in 1845-1848, which led to the major constitutional reform of 1848. It is concluded that only a small minority behaved as predicted by the thesis. This may be due to the economic policy of the Dutch government, which stimulated modern industrialization. Modified HA.