Kanttekeningen bij de groei van de protestants-christelijke partijen in Nederland. Kinderzegen of bekering, verlate verzuiling, 'horzelprik' of cultureel conservatisme?

Samenvatting

An attempt is made to explain why, although secularization theories appear to be confirmed by a steady, at times dramatic, loss of votes for the once powerful Christian Democrat Party since WWII, the three Dutch Orthodox Protestant parties have steadily gained votes during this period. Using data drawn from G. Voerman's (1996) work on party membership, 1945-1995, & from 1946-1996 election surveys, four possibilities are examined: (1) natural growth through high birth rates & conversion, (2) belated pillarization in a time when the traditionally big Protestant & Catholic organizational networks were already deteriorating, (3) protest votes or "hornet stings" from dissatisfied conservative Christian Democrats, & (4) an increase of culturally conservative nonreligious voters. Findings show some support for each explanation, with the fourth being the weakest. 2 Tables, 36 References. Adapted from the source document.