Artikelen

A nation adrift, or on which course?

Auteurs

  • Petersen,W.

Trefwoorden:

Evaluation, The Netherlands, Social change, Sociological, Drift en Koers

Samenvatting

An evaluation of a collection of Dutch sociological studies, A. N. J. den Hollander, E. W. Hofstee, J. A. A. van Doorn and E. V. W. Vercruijsse, Ed's, Drift en Koers (Drift and Course, Assen: Van Gorcum, 1961). The book is intended as an evaluation of 'the social changes of the last 50 yrs'; it contains a number of contributions of uneven value. (1) The greatest historical depth is shown in the study of 'The Emancipation Movements' by Verwey-Jonker. Her thesis is that the ideological struggles of 4 underprivileged groups-F's, Catholics, workers and gereformeerden (a Calvinist sect)-shattered the Dutch political order established by 19th cent liberals. She fails to account for some peculiarities of the position of Dutch F's after their emancipation: the relative absence of F's in public life, scarcity of working wives, and close links to the gezin (household). (2) Pen and Bouwman on 'Increasing Welfare' are perfunctory and disappointing. (3) Van Heek on SM quotes interesting data from Van Tulder: if the Dutch working population is divided into 6 strata, 79% of marriages occur within a stratum or between adjacent ones. (4) The typically Dutch phenomenon of verzuiling (pillarization, ie multiplication of institions with the same function by religious, political and social groups, eg Catholic and Protestant radio organizations) is treated by Kruijt and Goddijn. Their factual report is excellent; but issue is taken with some of their interpretations: the 'freethinkers' play a role out of proportion to their small numbers; the Catholic-Calvinist political alliance, born of a common concern over educ, maintained itself in power by providing the rudiments of a welfare state and taking the wind out of socialist sails. (5) E. W. Hofstee's demographic essay shows how the fall in the Dutch birth rate relates to a common trend in industrial countries. I. Langnas.

Biografie auteur

Petersen,W.

Gepubliceerd

1964-01-01

Nummer

Sectie

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