Alliance for National Reconstruction
Encyclopedia
The Alliance for National Reconstruction (in Dutch: Verbond voor Nationaal Herstel, VNH) was a Dutch
conservative
-nationalist political party
. The VNH played only a marginal role in the Dutch parliament.
In 1933
the VNH entered in the election. Its top candidate Snijders, a former general, had already announced that he would not take his seat in parliament. He also served as the party's honorary chair. The party won one seat which was taken by the party's second candidate Westerman. After 1935 the party got considerable competition from the fascist NSB, many members advocated a merger with the NSB, wanted to steer a more conservative course. In 1937 Van Gybland Oosterhoff died, leaving the party in disarray. In the 1937 election
the party lost its seats. Most of its members left the party, some found their way to the NSB.
Since then the VNH saw itself as a study club, which continued publishing the Nationaal Herstel ("National Reconstruction"). After the German invasion
the club tried to organize a new front of national organizations. They were ignored. In 1941 the occupation government forbade the party.
and conservative nationalism
. The party thought that society was sick, because authority
was no longer accepted. This gave all kinds of revolutionaries, socialists and Communists a chance to disrupt society. Political parties and the electoral system destroyed the chance of independent candidates to win seats. The party feared the rise of communism, anti-militarism and the Indonesian independence movement.
The party wanted a national reawakening, which would rekindle values like solidarity, duty, loyalty to the House of Orange and willingness to sacrifice. It wanted a new electoral system which would allow independent candidates to enter parliament. The party wanted to strengthen the relation with the Dutch colonies
. It advocated national production and a strong defence. The VNH wanted to be movement for all Dutch people, which was above partisan and pillarized politics.
. After 1935 the electorate of the VNH became oriented to the more successful national-socialist NSB.
Politics of the Netherlands
The politics of the Netherlands take place within the framework of a parliamentary representative democracy, a constitutional monarchy and a decentralised unitary state. The Netherlands is described as a consociational state...
conservative
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
-nationalist political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
. The VNH played only a marginal role in the Dutch parliament.
History
Since 1931 Van Gybland Oosterhoff had tried to unite all conservative and nationalist forces in the Netherlands. In the autumn of 1932 he founded the National Reconstruction Concentration, which was to prepare the foundation of new conservative party. On January 28, 1933 this committee founded the Alliance for National Reconstruction.In 1933
Dutch general election, 1933
A general election of the House of Representatives of the Dutch Parliament was held in the Netherlands on April 26, 1933.-National summary:-Parties:* Anti Revolutionary Party...
the VNH entered in the election. Its top candidate Snijders, a former general, had already announced that he would not take his seat in parliament. He also served as the party's honorary chair. The party won one seat which was taken by the party's second candidate Westerman. After 1935 the party got considerable competition from the fascist NSB, many members advocated a merger with the NSB, wanted to steer a more conservative course. In 1937 Van Gybland Oosterhoff died, leaving the party in disarray. In the 1937 election
Dutch general election, 1937
A general election of the House of Representatives of the Dutch Parliament was held in the Netherlands on May 26, 1937.-National summary:-Parties:* Anti Revolutionary Party...
the party lost its seats. Most of its members left the party, some found their way to the NSB.
Since then the VNH saw itself as a study club, which continued publishing the Nationaal Herstel ("National Reconstruction"). After the German invasion
The Netherlands in World War II
The history of the Netherlands from 1939 to 1945 covers the events in the Netherlands that took place under the German occupation that started on May 10, 1940 with the Battle of the Netherlands. The Netherlands hoped to stay neutral when World War II broke out in 1939 but this failed to happen when...
the club tried to organize a new front of national organizations. They were ignored. In 1941 the occupation government forbade the party.
Ideology & Issues
The VNH operated on the border between fascismFascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
and conservative nationalism
National conservatism
National conservatism is a political term used primarily in Europe to describe a variant of conservatism which concentrates more on national interests than standard conservatism as well as upholding cultural and ethnic identity, while not being outspokenly nationalist or supporting a far-right...
. The party thought that society was sick, because authority
Authority
The word Authority is derived mainly from the Latin word auctoritas, meaning invention, advice, opinion, influence, or command. In English, the word 'authority' can be used to mean power given by the state or by academic knowledge of an area .-Authority in Philosophy:In...
was no longer accepted. This gave all kinds of revolutionaries, socialists and Communists a chance to disrupt society. Political parties and the electoral system destroyed the chance of independent candidates to win seats. The party feared the rise of communism, anti-militarism and the Indonesian independence movement.
The party wanted a national reawakening, which would rekindle values like solidarity, duty, loyalty to the House of Orange and willingness to sacrifice. It wanted a new electoral system which would allow independent candidates to enter parliament. The party wanted to strengthen the relation with the Dutch colonies
Dutch Empire
The Dutch Empire consisted of the overseas territories controlled by the Dutch Republic and later, the modern Netherlands from the 17th to the 20th century. The Dutch followed Portugal and Spain in establishing an overseas colonial empire, but based on military conquest of already-existing...
. It advocated national production and a strong defence. The VNH wanted to be movement for all Dutch people, which was above partisan and pillarized politics.
Representation
This table shows the VNH's results in elections to the House of Representatives and Senate, as well as the party's political leadership: the fractievoorzitter, is the chair of the parliamentary party and the lijsttrekker is the party's top candidate in the general election, these posts are normally taken by the party's leader.| Year | HoR | S | Lijsttrekker Lijsttrekker Lijsttrekker is a Dutch term for the top candidate of a party on a party list. He or she is almost always the party's political leader. After an election, this person usually leads the party's faction in the States-General, or serves in a senior position in the Cabinet if his party is part of... |
Fractievoorzitter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1933 Dutch general election, 1933 A general election of the House of Representatives of the Dutch Parliament was held in the Netherlands on April 26, 1933.-National summary:-Parties:* Anti Revolutionary Party... |
1 | 0 | Cornelis Snijders | William Westerman |
| 1934 | 1 | 0 | no elections | William Westerman |
| 1935 | 1 | 0 | no elections | William Westerman |
| 1936 | 1 | 0 | no elections | William Westerman |
Electorate
The VNH was supportant by civil servants and the soldiers. Its electorate was concentrated in the HagueThe 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...
. After 1935 the electorate of the VNH became oriented to the more successful national-socialist NSB.
See also
- National Alliance for ReconstructionNational Alliance for ReconstructionThe National Alliance for Reconstruction was the governing party in Trinidad and Tobago between 1986 and 1991.-History:The party was established in 1986, aiming to be a multi-racial party...
, a party in Trinidad and TobagoPolitics of Trinidad and TobagoThe politics of Trinidad and Tobago function within the framework of a unitary state regulated by a parliamentary democracy modelled on that of the UK, from which the country gained its independence in 1962...
with a similar name.