Alexander de Savornin Lohman
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Jkr.
Alexander Frederik de Savornin Lohman (Groningen, May 29, 1837 – The Hague
, June 11, 1924) was a Dutch
politician and leader of the Christian Historical Union
during the first quarter of the 20th century.
He was a member of the lower Dutch nobility and held the title of jonkheer. He was born into a family of Walloon Reformed extraction. During his studies he became a supporter of the anti-revolutionary cause of Guillaume Groen van Prinsterer
and he was elected to the Dutch House of Representatives for the Anti Revolutionary Party
(ARP) in 1879. He remained a member of parliament until 1921. Throughout his career he would serve as member of the House of Representatives, member of the Senate and, for a short while, minister. He was noted for his vehement attacks against his opponents, but was generally considered to be receptive of the arguments of his peers.
De Savornin Lohman got involved in politics whilst serving as a judge
at the court of 's-Hertogenbosch. There he became party to a conflict over Christian schools
. He soon met Abraham Kuyper
, another anti-revolutionary politician who would dominate Dutch politics in the years to come. When Kuyper was suffering from burn-out in 1876 and 1877 de Savornin Lohman replaced him as chief editor of the Standaard, the anti-revolutionary newspaper
. De Savornin Lohman went on, at times reluctantly, to become Kuyper's most important collaborator in his many projects (the School Struggle
, the foundation of the Anti Revolutionary Party in 1879, the Doleantie
in 1886 and the creation of the Free University of Amsterdam in 1879).
De Savornin Lohman's entry in politics coincided with the introduction of party discipline
into Dutch politics. As an aristocrat de Savornin Lohman was torn between the opinion of his fellow aristocrats, who considered politics to be a personal thing, and the opinion of his leader and friend Kuyper, who found party discipline and the democratic process of the utmost importance. Further conflict ensued when de Savornin Lohman became Minister of the Interior, replacing Æneas Mackay
, who in turn replaced Keuchenius as Minister of Colonial Affairs. The Dutch parliament had refused supply
to Keuchenius's budget and Mackay wanted to save the government. Kuyper wanted to have a general election and sought the fall of the government. De Savornin Lohman and most of the Anti Revolutionary Party supported the government. Two factions in the ARP now emerged, one led by Kuyper the other by De Savornin Lohman. When the liberal
minister Tak van Poortvliet
presented a proposal to introduce universal suffrage
in 1893, this proved to be an especially divisive issue. The aristocrat De Savornin Lohman was against extension, while Kuyper saw an electoral advantage for the ARP. Universal suffrage would give the bote to orthodox Protestant farmers and small enterpreneurs (collectively referred to in Dutch political science as kleine luyden), who had hitherto been ineligible because of the minimum taxes requirement. When Kuyper managed to persuade ARP members to support his position, De Savornin Lohman's faction, the Free Anti Revolutionaries
(VAR), became directly opposed to Kuyper's Anti Revolutionaries. The conflict led to a split in the ARP with De Savornin Lohman and his largely aristocratic colleagues forming the smaller splinter group. In 1908, after a series of mergers with like-minded political groups, De Savornin Lohman and his VAR founded the Christian Historical Union (CHU).
Religiously, De Savornin Lohman, who was Reformed, was personally involved in the schism called the Doleantie
, which was led by Kuyper. The schism
was a reaction against the progressive practices of the Dutch Reformed Church
and De Savornin Lohman went on to become a member of the newly founded Reformed Churches in the Netherlands
. While Kuyper favoured cooperation with Roman Catholics in parliament, de Savornin Lohman and his fellow Anti Revolutionaries were sceptical towards Roman Catholicism.
Professionally, De Savornin Lohman was employed by the Free University of Amsterdam to teach law
and a Reformed outlook on science. In 1895 the conflict with Kuyper forced him to resign his post. I*t was twenty years before the two gentlemen were on speaking terms again.
Alexander de Savornin Lohman died in The Hague aged 87. He was an important adviser to Queen Wilhelmina
.
Jonkheer
Jonkheer is a Dutch honorific of nobility.-Honorific of nobility:"Jonkheer" or "Jonkvrouw" is literally translated as "young lord" or "young lady". In medieval times such a person was a young and unmarried son or daughter of a high ranking knight or nobleman...
Alexander Frederik de Savornin Lohman (Groningen, May 29, 1837 – The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
, June 11, 1924) was a Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
politician and leader of the Christian Historical Union
Christian Historical Union
The Christian Historical Union was a Dutch conservative Protestant political party. The CHU is one of the predecessors of the Christian Democratic Appeal.-History before 1908:...
during the first quarter of the 20th century.
He was a member of the lower Dutch nobility and held the title of jonkheer. He was born into a family of Walloon Reformed extraction. During his studies he became a supporter of the anti-revolutionary cause of Guillaume Groen van Prinsterer
Guillaume Groen van Prinsterer
Guillaume Groen van Prinsterer , Dutch politician and historian, was born at Voorburg, near the Hague.-Overview:...
and he was elected to the Dutch House of Representatives for the Anti Revolutionary Party
Anti Revolutionary Party
The Anti Revolutionary Party was a Dutch Protestant Christian democratic political party. The ARP is one of the predecessors of the Christian Democratic Appeal. After 1917 the party never received more than twenty percent of the vote.-History before 1879:The anti-revolutionary parliamentary caucus...
(ARP) in 1879. He remained a member of parliament until 1921. Throughout his career he would serve as member of the House of Representatives, member of the Senate and, for a short while, minister. He was noted for his vehement attacks against his opponents, but was generally considered to be receptive of the arguments of his peers.
De Savornin Lohman got involved in politics whilst serving as a judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
at the court of 's-Hertogenbosch. There he became party to a conflict over Christian schools
Religious education
In secular usage, religious education is the teaching of a particular religion and its varied aspects —its beliefs, doctrines, rituals, customs, rites, and personal roles...
. He soon met Abraham Kuyper
Abraham Kuyper
Abraham Kuijper generally known as Abraham Kuyper, was a Dutch politician, journalist, statesman and theologian...
, another anti-revolutionary politician who would dominate Dutch politics in the years to come. When Kuyper was suffering from burn-out in 1876 and 1877 de Savornin Lohman replaced him as chief editor of the Standaard, the anti-revolutionary newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
. De Savornin Lohman went on, at times reluctantly, to become Kuyper's most important collaborator in his many projects (the School Struggle
School struggle
The School Struggle or Schoolstrijd is a historical conflict in the Netherlands between 1848 and 1917 over the equalization of public financing for religious schools...
, the foundation of the Anti Revolutionary Party in 1879, the Doleantie
Doleantie
The Doleantie was the name of a prominent schism in the Dutch Reformed Church which took place in 1886 and was led by the renowned minister Abraham Kuyper. The Doleantie was not the first schism in the Dutch Reformed Church...
in 1886 and the creation of the Free University of Amsterdam in 1879).
De Savornin Lohman's entry in politics coincided with the introduction of party discipline
Party discipline
Party discipline is the ability of a parliamentary group of a political party to get its members to support the policies of their party leadership. In liberal democracies, it usually refers to the control that party leaders have over its legislature...
into Dutch politics. As an aristocrat de Savornin Lohman was torn between the opinion of his fellow aristocrats, who considered politics to be a personal thing, and the opinion of his leader and friend Kuyper, who found party discipline and the democratic process of the utmost importance. Further conflict ensued when de Savornin Lohman became Minister of the Interior, replacing Æneas Mackay
Æneas Mackay
Æneas, Baron Mackay Jr. was a prime minister of the Netherlands. He was a member of the Anti-Revolutionary Party.-History:...
, who in turn replaced Keuchenius as Minister of Colonial Affairs. The Dutch parliament had refused supply
Government budget
A government budget is a legal document that is often passed by the legislature, and approved by the chief executive-or president. For example, only certain types of revenue may be imposed and collected...
to Keuchenius's budget and Mackay wanted to save the government. Kuyper wanted to have a general election and sought the fall of the government. De Savornin Lohman and most of the Anti Revolutionary Party supported the government. Two factions in the ARP now emerged, one led by Kuyper the other by De Savornin Lohman. When the liberal
Liberal Union
The Liberal Union was a Dutch liberal political party. A major party in its time, the LU was one of the historic predecessors of the Liberal State Party, and therefore of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy....
minister Tak van Poortvliet
Johannes Pieter Roetert Tak van Poortvliet
Johannes Pieter Roetert Tak van Poortvliet , lord of the manor of Poortvliet and Cleverskerke, was a Dutch politician.-Biography:...
presented a proposal to introduce universal suffrage
Universal suffrage
Universal suffrage consists of the extension of the right to vote to adult citizens as a whole, though it may also mean extending said right to minors and non-citizens...
in 1893, this proved to be an especially divisive issue. The aristocrat De Savornin Lohman was against extension, while Kuyper saw an electoral advantage for the ARP. Universal suffrage would give the bote to orthodox Protestant farmers and small enterpreneurs (collectively referred to in Dutch political science as kleine luyden), who had hitherto been ineligible because of the minimum taxes requirement. When Kuyper managed to persuade ARP members to support his position, De Savornin Lohman's faction, the Free Anti Revolutionaries
Free Anti Revolutionary Party
The Free Anti Revolutionary Party was a Dutch conservative Reformed political party, which existed from 1898 to 1903...
(VAR), became directly opposed to Kuyper's Anti Revolutionaries. The conflict led to a split in the ARP with De Savornin Lohman and his largely aristocratic colleagues forming the smaller splinter group. In 1908, after a series of mergers with like-minded political groups, De Savornin Lohman and his VAR founded the Christian Historical Union (CHU).
Religiously, De Savornin Lohman, who was Reformed, was personally involved in the schism called the Doleantie
Doleantie
The Doleantie was the name of a prominent schism in the Dutch Reformed Church which took place in 1886 and was led by the renowned minister Abraham Kuyper. The Doleantie was not the first schism in the Dutch Reformed Church...
, which was led by Kuyper. The schism
Schism (religion)
A schism , from Greek σχίσμα, skhísma , is a division between people, usually belonging to an organization or movement religious denomination. The word is most frequently applied to a break of communion between two sections of Christianity that were previously a single body, or to a division within...
was a reaction against the progressive practices of the Dutch Reformed Church
Dutch Reformed Church
The Dutch Reformed Church was a Reformed Christian denomination in the Netherlands. It existed from the 1570s to 2004, the year it merged with the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Kingdom of the Netherlands to form the Protestant Church in the...
and De Savornin Lohman went on to become a member of the newly founded Reformed Churches in the Netherlands
Reformed Churches in the Netherlands
The Reformed Churches in the Netherlands was the second largest Protestant church in the Netherlands until it merged into the Protestant Church in the Netherlands in 2004.-History:...
. While Kuyper favoured cooperation with Roman Catholics in parliament, de Savornin Lohman and his fellow Anti Revolutionaries were sceptical towards Roman Catholicism.
Professionally, De Savornin Lohman was employed by the Free University of Amsterdam to teach law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
and a Reformed outlook on science. In 1895 the conflict with Kuyper forced him to resign his post. I*t was twenty years before the two gentlemen were on speaking terms again.
Alexander de Savornin Lohman died in The Hague aged 87. He was an important adviser to Queen Wilhelmina
Wilhelmina of the Netherlands
Wilhelmina was Queen regnant of the Kingdom of the Netherlands from 1890 to 1948. She ruled the Netherlands for fifty-eight years, longer than any other Dutch monarch. Her reign saw World War I and World War II, the economic crisis of 1933, and the decline of the Netherlands as a major colonial...
.