Maatschappij en Boerenpartij: wie is deviant?

Samenvatting

Auteursnaam boven artikel incorrect. Studies on social deviance have often concentrated on stereotypical phenomena such as homosexuality, drug use, prostitution, etc. However, there are also many Dutch people who are inclined to view the Boerenpartij (farmers party, a small, right-ring, agrarian party) as deviant. There is, of course, no general agreement on what constitutes deviant or normal behavior. The members of the Boerenpartij are a group of people who chose to vent their grievances not through the normal channels, but rather by the formation of an independent political party. Innovation of this kind may, by some definitions, be seen as deviant behavior; the party tends to oppose social change. However, the party is radical rather than extremist, and has shown strong support for the parliamentary system, as well as respect for authority. Other political groups have a somewhat ambivalent attitude towards the movement. Dogmatic marxists and pacifist anarchists see in the Boerenpartij as a possible ally that does not recognize the repression of the system. This ambivalent attitude is also held by the institutionalized socialist party, which wishes to stimulate economic growth by eliminating the small farmer, but on the other hand is also concerned for the farmer as an individual. While the Boerenpartij may be considered objectionable politically, it is not a deviant organization. P. Tiersma