Christian Historical Voters' League
Encyclopedia
The Christian Historical Voters' League (in Dutch: Christelijk Historische Kiezersbond, CHK) is a Dutch
conservative
protestant political party
. The CHK is historically linked to the Christian Democratic Appeal
which is currently one of the major parties of the Netherlands.
, the leader of the Protestant Anti Revolutionary Party
. Kuyper had initiated a new political course for Protestantism in the Netherlands, which included cooperation with the Catholics
, in the coalition
, strategical support for extension of suffrage
a rejection of theocracy
in favour of a specific conception of state neutrality, sphere sovereignty
and a strong party organization and party discipline
.
The party was led by two reformed
ministers
Bronsveld and de Visser. In the election of 1897
de Visser was elected to the House of Representatives for the district of Rotterdam
, while Bronsveld became chair. A conflict between Bronsveld and de Visser develops, while de Visser wanted to cooperated with other Christian-Historical parties, such as the Frisian League
and Free Anti Revolutionary Party
(VAR), while Bronsveld did not.
In 1901
de Visser was elected for one of the Amsterdam
districts. In the same year de Visser succeeded Bronsveld as chair and opened talks with the VAR, in April 1903 the VAR and the CHK merged to form the Christian Historical Party
.
. Furthermore the CHK styled itself a voters' league, a caucus
, instead of a conventional political party.
as a legitimate religion. The party was strong anti-papist.
Furthermore the party opposed general suffrage. The party was divided over the issue of religious education, with Bronsveld advocating Protestant-inspired public education and de Visser advocating separate Protestant schools.
from the upper class.
in the late 1800s and to some extent American Party
of the United States.
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...
protestant 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 CHK is historically linked to the Christian Democratic Appeal
Christian Democratic Appeal
The Christian Democratic Appeal is a centre-right Dutch Christian democratic political party. It suffered severe losses in the 2010 elections and fell from the first to the fourth place...
which is currently one of the major parties of the Netherlands.
Party History
The CHK was founded in 1897. It was a continuation of the National Party, which was founded in 1888 but had never gained a seat in parliament. They were founded as one of several parties that were founded in the 1890s, which all turned again the leadership and ideology of Abraham KuyperAbraham Kuyper
Abraham Kuijper generally known as Abraham Kuyper, was a Dutch politician, journalist, statesman and theologian...
, the leader of the Protestant 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...
. Kuyper had initiated a new political course for Protestantism in the Netherlands, which included cooperation with the Catholics
Roman Catholicism in the Netherlands
The Catholic Church in the Netherlands; , is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope and curia in Rome. Although the number of Catholics in the Netherlands has decreased significantly in recent decades, the Dutch Catholic Church is today the largest...
, in the coalition
Christian democracy in the Netherlands
This article gives an overview of christian democracy in the Netherlands, which is also called confessional politics, including political Catholicism and Protestantism. It is limited to Christian democratic parties with substantial support, mainly proved by having had a representation in parliament...
, strategical support for extension of 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...
a rejection of theocracy
Theocracy
Theocracy is a form of organization in which the official policy is to be governed by immediate divine guidance or by officials who are regarded as divinely guided, or simply pursuant to the doctrine of a particular religious sect or religion....
in favour of a specific conception of state neutrality, sphere sovereignty
Sphere sovereignty
In Neo-Calvinism, sphere sovereignty is the concept that each sphere of life has its own distinct responsibilities and authority or competence, and stands equal to other spheres of life. Sphere sovereignty involves the idea of an all encompassing created order, designed and governed by God...
and a strong party organization and 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...
.
The party was led by two reformed
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...
ministers
Minister of religion
In Christian churches, a minister is someone who is authorized by a church or religious organization to perform functions such as teaching of beliefs; leading services such as weddings, baptisms or funerals; or otherwise providing spiritual guidance to the community...
Bronsveld and de Visser. In the election of 1897
Dutch general election, 1897
A general election of the House of Representatives of the Dutch Parliament was held in the Netherlands in 1897.-National summary:-Parties:* Anti Revolutionary Party...
de Visser was elected to the House of Representatives for the district of Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
, while Bronsveld became chair. A conflict between Bronsveld and de Visser develops, while de Visser wanted to cooperated with other Christian-Historical parties, such as the Frisian League
Frisian League
The League of caucuses on Christian Historical foundation in the province of Friesland is a Dutch conservative Reformed political party...
and Free Anti Revolutionary Party
Free Anti Revolutionary Party
The Free Anti Revolutionary Party was a Dutch conservative Reformed political party, which existed from 1898 to 1903...
(VAR), while Bronsveld did not.
In 1901
Dutch general election, 1901
A general election of the House of Representatives of the Dutch Parliament was held in the Netherlands in 1901.-National summary:-Parties:* Anti Revolutionary Party...
de Visser was elected for one of the Amsterdam
Amsterdam (municipality)
The Government of Amsterdam is the government of the municipality and city of Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Most of the inhabitants live in the city of Amsterdam, but the municipality also covers a number of small villages, and other parts of the local government, such as the Waterschap or the...
districts. In the same year de Visser succeeded Bronsveld as chair and opened talks with the VAR, in April 1903 the VAR and the CHK merged to form the Christian Historical Party
Christian Historical Party
The Christian Historical Party was a Dutch conservative Reformed political party, which existed from 1903 to 1908...
.
Name
The term "Christian Historical" was used before 1897 to denote supporters of the main Protestant party, the Anti Revolutionary Party, emphasizing the Protestant nature of the history of the NetherlandsHistory of the Netherlands
The history of the Netherlands is the history of a maritime people thriving on a watery lowland river delta at the edge of northwestern Europe. When the Romans and written history arrived in 57 BC, the country was sparsely populated by various tribal groups at the periphery of the empire...
. Furthermore the CHK styled itself a voters' league, a caucus
Caucus
A caucus is a meeting of supporters or members of a political party or movement, especially in the United States and Canada. As the use of the term has been expanded the exact definition has come to vary among political cultures.-Origin of the term:...
, instead of a conventional political party.
Ideology & Issues
The CHK was formed as a result of dissent within the main Protestant party the Anti Revolutionary Party, unlike that party the CHK did not recognize CatholicismRoman Catholicism in the Netherlands
The Catholic Church in the Netherlands; , is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope and curia in Rome. Although the number of Catholics in the Netherlands has decreased significantly in recent decades, the Dutch Catholic Church is today the largest...
as a legitimate religion. The party was strong anti-papist.
Furthermore the party opposed general suffrage. The party was divided over the issue of religious education, with Bronsveld advocating Protestant-inspired public education and de Visser advocating separate Protestant schools.
Representation
This table show the DHK's results in elections to the House of Representatives and Senate, as well as the party's political leadership: the fractievoorzitter, the chair of the parliamentary party . It also possible that the party leader is member of cabinet, if the CHK was part of the governing coalition, the "highest ranking" minister is listed.| Year | HoR | S | Fractievoorzitter | Cabinet Cabinet (government) A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :... |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1897 Dutch general election, 1897 A general election of the House of Representatives of the Dutch Parliament was held in the Netherlands in 1897.-National summary:-Parties:* Anti Revolutionary Party... |
1 | 0 | Johannes de Visser | opposition |
| 1898 | 1 | 0 | Johannes de Visser | opposition |
| 1899 | 1 | 0 | Johannes de Visser | opposition |
| 1900 | 1 | 0 | Johannes de Visser | opposition |
| 1901 Dutch general election, 1901 A general election of the House of Representatives of the Dutch Parliament was held in the Netherlands in 1901.-National summary:-Parties:* Anti Revolutionary Party... |
1 | 0 | Johannes de Visser | supports cabinet of Kuyper Abraham Kuyper Abraham Kuijper generally known as Abraham Kuyper, was a Dutch politician, journalist, statesman and theologian... |
| 1902 | 1 | 0 | Johannes de Visser | supports cabinet of Kuyper |
Electorate
The electorate of the CHK was mainly constituted by adherents of the Dutch Reformed ChurchDutch 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...
from the upper class.
International Comparison
As a party for Protestant dissenters of a catholic-Protestant alliance the CHK is a unique phenomenon in international perspective. Its political course, which included support of limited government, rejection of universal suffrage and hostility against Catholicism, is comparable to the course of the British Conservative PartyConservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
in the late 1800s and to some extent American Party
Know Nothing
The Know Nothing was a movement by the nativist American political faction of the 1840s and 1850s. It was empowered by popular fears that the country was being overwhelmed by German and Irish Catholic immigrants, who were often regarded as hostile to Anglo-Saxon Protestant values and controlled by...
of the United States.