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Farmers' Party (Netherlands)
Encyclopedia
The Farmers' Party was a Dutch
agrarian
political party
, with a strong conservative
outlook and a populist
appeal. The BP was the first anti-establishment party elected into the Dutch House of Representatives after the Second World War.
municipalities "Free Farmers" lists contested in municipal elections. In 1959 the Farmers' Party officially applied at the Kiesraad to participate in the 1959 elections
, although the party was unable to win a seat. The founder of the party was Hendrik Koekoek, the chair and founder of the Association for Freedom for Agricultural Business, also known as the "Free Farmers". The organization resisted increasing government intervention and the institutionalization
of farming. These also became important issues for the Farmers' Party.
the Farmers' Party won three seats in the House of Representatives. The party had gained considerable attention when the police had forcibly seized farms whose owners had not paid their taxes. Koekoek, the party's leader, came from the same region and acted as spokesperson for these farmers. With its populist appeal the party had been able to get the support from farmers and non-farmers, even from urban areas. He headed the party's list and became the chairperson of the parliamentary party. In 1966 the party won two seats in the Senate.
In parliament the Boerenpartij was troubled by internal struggles and splits. In 1966 it was revealed that one of the party's senators, Adams, had a national socialist
background, and had been a member of the National Socialist Movement and the SS. Koekoek protected Adams against the allegations. In reaction to that Voogd, one of the party's MPs, left the party. Also a group of members from the party founded their own party, Emergency Council (Noodraad).
Both Emergency Council and Farmers' Party participated in the 1967 elections
, as did Voogd with his own list. Only the Farmers' party managed to secure representation with a total of seven seats, whilst both the Emergency Council and the List-Voogd ended up with no seats. In the next years Koekoek was (again) unable to keep his parliamentary party together. His authoritarian leadership caused four of the seven MPs to leave the party and to organize their own party, Right Allegiance (Binding Rechts). They were led by Harmsen, one of the founders of the Farmers' Party. One of these four MPs left his new party soon to work as an independent. In 1971 one of Koekoek's MPs also left his party, leaving only two MPs.
In the 1971 elections
Koekoek obtained only one seat, and Right Allegiance none. In the 1972 elections the party won two additional seats. In the 1977 elections
the party lost those two seats again, leaving only Koekoek.
the BP was renamed to Rightwing People's Party (Rechtse Volkspartij, RVP) but they were unable to win a seat.
of farming. Yet it was more than single issue agrarian interest
party. It saw itself as a conservative party which championed political and economic freedom
in general, on basis of national
and Christian values
. It had a strong populist
, anti-establishment
appeal. Although some members had been active with fascist
or national socialist organizations before 1945 the party rejected racism
and fascism.
The party had strong nationalist message: the party was in favour of the Dutch monarchy
, opposed European integration
, wanted a strong defense
, and believed that law and order should be maintained.
On economic matters the party was very conservative. It wanted to protect private property
and encourage private initiative
. It sought to reduce government influence
on the economy and taxation. It felt that the welfare state
should be reduced to a minimum, agricultural subsidies should be cut, and that the agricultural sector would be able to support itself if the government interfered less.
the party was rather strong - Harmsen, one of the party's MPs, was a longtime alderman there. However especially in the period 1965-1970 the party also managed to win municipal council seats in urban municipalities such as Amsterdam, where they scored 9.4% (or 4 of 45 seats) in 1966.
. The best comparison however can be made with the party of Pierre Poujade
which was successful in the 1956 elections, but faded away afterwards. Like Poujade's party the Farmers' Party had a strong populist message which appealed to both farmers and small business.
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...
agrarian
Agrarianism
Agrarianism has two common meanings. The first meaning refers to a social philosophy or political philosophy which values rural society as superior to urban society, the independent farmer as superior to the paid worker, and sees farming as a way of life that can shape the ideal social values...
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...
, with a strong 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...
outlook and a populist
Populism
Populism can be defined as an ideology, political philosophy, or type of discourse. Generally, a common theme compares "the people" against "the elite", and urges social and political system changes. It can also be defined as a rhetorical style employed by members of various political or social...
appeal. The BP was the first anti-establishment party elected into the Dutch House of Representatives after the Second World War.
Foundation
The precise foundation date of the BP is not known. In 1958 in several GelderlandGelderland
Gelderland is the largest province of the Netherlands, located in the central eastern part of the country. The capital city is Arnhem. The two other major cities, Nijmegen and Apeldoorn have more inhabitants. Other major regional centers in Gelderland are Ede, Doetinchem, Zutphen, Tiel, Wijchen,...
municipalities "Free Farmers" lists contested in municipal elections. In 1959 the Farmers' Party officially applied at the Kiesraad to participate in the 1959 elections
Dutch general election, 1959
A general election of the House of Representatives of the Dutch Parliament was held in the Netherlands on March 12, 1959.-National summary:-Parties:* Anti Revolutionary Party...
, although the party was unable to win a seat. The founder of the party was Hendrik Koekoek, the chair and founder of the Association for Freedom for Agricultural Business, also known as the "Free Farmers". The organization resisted increasing government intervention and the institutionalization
Publiekrechtelijke Bedrijfsorganisatie
Publiekrechtelijke Bedrijfsorganisatie is a Dutch form of government. PBO is the whole of self-regulatory organizations for specific economic sectors....
of farming. These also became important issues for the Farmers' Party.
1963-1981
In the elections of 1963Dutch general election, 1963
A general election of the House of Representatives of the Dutch Parliament was held in the Netherlands on May 15, 1963.-National summary:-Parties:* Anti Revolutionary Party...
the Farmers' Party won three seats in the House of Representatives. The party had gained considerable attention when the police had forcibly seized farms whose owners had not paid their taxes. Koekoek, the party's leader, came from the same region and acted as spokesperson for these farmers. With its populist appeal the party had been able to get the support from farmers and non-farmers, even from urban areas. He headed the party's list and became the chairperson of the parliamentary party. In 1966 the party won two seats in the Senate.
In parliament the Boerenpartij was troubled by internal struggles and splits. In 1966 it was revealed that one of the party's senators, Adams, had a national socialist
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
background, and had been a member of the National Socialist Movement and the SS. Koekoek protected Adams against the allegations. In reaction to that Voogd, one of the party's MPs, left the party. Also a group of members from the party founded their own party, Emergency Council (Noodraad).
Both Emergency Council and Farmers' Party participated in the 1967 elections
Dutch general election, 1967
A general election of the House of Representatives of the Dutch Parliament was held in the Netherlands on 15 February 1967.-National summary:-Parties:* Anti Revolutionary Party...
, as did Voogd with his own list. Only the Farmers' party managed to secure representation with a total of seven seats, whilst both the Emergency Council and the List-Voogd ended up with no seats. In the next years Koekoek was (again) unable to keep his parliamentary party together. His authoritarian leadership caused four of the seven MPs to leave the party and to organize their own party, Right Allegiance (Binding Rechts). They were led by Harmsen, one of the founders of the Farmers' Party. One of these four MPs left his new party soon to work as an independent. In 1971 one of Koekoek's MPs also left his party, leaving only two MPs.
Dutch general election, 1971
The General Election to the House of Representatives of the States-General of the Netherlands was held in the Netherlands on April 28, 1971.-National summary:turnout: 79.1%...
Koekoek obtained only one seat, and Right Allegiance none. In the 1972 elections the party won two additional seats. In the 1977 elections
Dutch general election, 1977
The General Election to the House of Representatives of the States-General of the Netherlands was held in the Netherlands on May 25, 1977....
the party lost those two seats again, leaving only Koekoek.
Dissolution
Before the elections of 1981Dutch general election, 1981
The General Election to the House of Representatives of the States-General of the Netherlands was held in the Netherlands on May 26, 1981.-National summary:...
the BP was renamed to Rightwing People's Party (Rechtse Volkspartij, RVP) but they were unable to win a seat.
Ideology
The party's main issue was the increasing government interference and the institutionalizationPubliekrechtelijke Bedrijfsorganisatie
Publiekrechtelijke Bedrijfsorganisatie is a Dutch form of government. PBO is the whole of self-regulatory organizations for specific economic sectors....
of farming. Yet it was more than single issue agrarian interest
Agrarianism
Agrarianism has two common meanings. The first meaning refers to a social philosophy or political philosophy which values rural society as superior to urban society, the independent farmer as superior to the paid worker, and sees farming as a way of life that can shape the ideal social values...
party. It saw itself as a conservative party which championed political and economic freedom
Economic freedom
Economic freedom is a term used in economic and policy debates. As with freedom generally, there are various definitions, but no universally accepted concept of economic freedom...
in general, on basis of national
Nationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
and Christian values
Christian values
The term Christian values historically refers to the values found in the teachings of Jesus.The biblical teachings of Jesus include:* love of God: "You shall love the Lord your God with all of your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind" ,...
. It had a strong populist
Populism
Populism can be defined as an ideology, political philosophy, or type of discourse. Generally, a common theme compares "the people" against "the elite", and urges social and political system changes. It can also be defined as a rhetorical style employed by members of various political or social...
, anti-establishment
Anti-establishment
An anti-establishment view or belief is one which stands in opposition to the conventional social, political, and economic principles of a society. The term was first used in the modern sense in 1958, by the British magazine New Statesman to refer to its political and social agenda...
appeal. Although some members had been active with fascist
Fascism
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...
or national socialist organizations before 1945 the party rejected racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
and fascism.
The party had strong nationalist message: the party was in favour of the Dutch monarchy
Monarchy of the Netherlands
The Netherlands has been an independent monarchy since 16 March 1815, and has been governed by members of the House of Orange-Nassau since.-Constitutional role and position of the monarch:...
, opposed European integration
European integration
European integration is the process of industrial, political, legal, economic integration of states wholly or partially in Europe...
, wanted a strong defense
Defense (military)
Defense has several uses in the sphere of military application.Personal defense implies measures taken by individual soldiers in protecting themselves whether by use of protective materials such as armor, or field construction of trenches or a bunker, or by using weapons that prevent the enemy...
, and believed that law and order should be maintained.
On economic matters the party was very conservative. It wanted to protect private property
Private property
Private property is the right of persons and firms to obtain, own, control, employ, dispose of, and bequeath land, capital, and other forms of property. Private property is distinguishable from public property, which refers to assets owned by a state, community or government rather than by...
and encourage private initiative
Individualism
Individualism is the moral stance, political philosophy, ideology, or social outlook that stresses "the moral worth of the individual". Individualists promote the exercise of one's goals and desires and so value independence and self-reliance while opposing most external interference upon one's own...
. It sought to reduce government influence
Limited government
Limited government is a government which anything more than minimal governmental intervention in personal liberties and the economy is generally disallowed by law, usually in a written constitution. It is written in the United States Constitution in Article 1, Section 8...
on the economy and taxation. It felt that the welfare state
Welfare state
A welfare state is a "concept of government in which the state plays a key role in the protection and promotion of the economic and social well-being of its citizens. It is based on the principles of equality of opportunity, equitable distribution of wealth, and public responsibility for those...
should be reduced to a minimum, agricultural subsidies should be cut, and that the agricultural sector would be able to support itself if the government interfered less.
Support & Leadership
This table shows the BP'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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 Dutch general election, 1963 A general election of the House of Representatives of the Dutch Parliament was held in the Netherlands on May 15, 1963.-National summary:-Parties:* Anti Revolutionary Party... |
3 | 0 | Hendrik Koekoek | Hendrik Koekoek |
| 1964 | 3 | 0 | no elections | Hendrik Koekoek |
| 1965 | 3 | 0 | no elections | Hendrik Koekoek |
| 1966 | 3 | 2 | no elections | Hendrik Koekoek |
| 1967 Dutch general election, 1967 A general election of the House of Representatives of the Dutch Parliament was held in the Netherlands on 15 February 1967.-National summary:-Parties:* Anti Revolutionary Party... |
7 | 2 | Hendrik Koekoek | Hendrik Koekoek |
| 1968 | 3 | 2 | no elections | Hendrik Koekoek |
| 1969 | 3 | 3 | no elections | Hendrik Koekoek |
| 1970 | 3 | 3 | no elections | Hendrik Koekoek |
| 1971 Dutch general election, 1971 The General Election to the House of Representatives of the States-General of the Netherlands was held in the Netherlands on April 28, 1971.-National summary:turnout: 79.1%... |
1 | 0 | Hendrik Koekoek | Hendrik Koekoek |
| 1972 Dutch general election, 1972 The General Election to the House of Representatives of the States-General of the Netherlands was held in the Netherlands on November 29, 1972.-National summary:... |
3 | 0 | Hendrik Koekoek | Hendrik Koekoek |
| 1973 | 3 | 0 | no elections | Hendrik Koekoek |
| 1974 | 3 | 1 | no elections | Hendrik Koekoek |
| 1975 | 3 | 1 | no elections | Hendrik Koekoek |
| 1976 | 3 | 1 | no elections | Hendrik Koekoek |
| 1977 Dutch general election, 1977 The General Election to the House of Representatives of the States-General of the Netherlands was held in the Netherlands on May 25, 1977.... |
1 | 1 | Hendrik Koekoek | Hendrik Koekoek |
| 1978 | 1 | 1 | no elections | Hendrik Koekoek |
| 1979 | 1 | 1 | no elections | Hendrik Koekoek |
| 1980 | 1 | 1 | no elections | Hendrik Koekoek |
Municipal and Provincial Government
The party has been able to win several seats in provincial legislatures and in municipal councils. In several rural municipalities such as ApeldoornApeldoorn
Apeldoorn is a municipality and city in the province of Gelderland, about 60 miles south east of Amsterdam, in the centre of the Netherlands. It is a regional centre and has 155,000 . The municipality of Apeldoorn, including villages like Beekbergen, Loenen and Hoenderloo, has over 155,000...
the party was rather strong - Harmsen, one of the party's MPs, was a longtime alderman there. However especially in the period 1965-1970 the party also managed to win municipal council seats in urban municipalities such as Amsterdam, where they scored 9.4% (or 4 of 45 seats) in 1966.
Electorate
The party got most of its support from farmers and small business owners in rural areas. With its populist appeal the party had also been able to get support from small business owners in urban areas. In the 1963 elections the party got 6,000 votes from Amsterdam.International Comparison
As a conservative farmers' party, the Farmers' Party is similar to Eastern European farmers' parties, like the Polish Peasant PartyPolish Peasant Party
The Polish People's Party , is a centrist, agrarian, and Christian democratic political party in Poland. It currently has 31 members of the Sejm, one member of the Senate, and three Members of the European Parliament. It is the junior partner in a coalition with Civic Platform.The party was...
. The best comparison however can be made with the party of Pierre Poujade
Pierre Poujade
Pierre Poujade was a French populist politician after whom the Poujadist movement was named.-Biography:Poujade was born in Saint-Céré, Lot, France, Europe. When he was only 8 years old, his father died, in 1928....
which was successful in the 1956 elections, but faded away afterwards. Like Poujade's party the Farmers' Party had a strong populist message which appealed to both farmers and small business.