Johannes Pieter Roetert Tak van Poortvliet
Encyclopedia
Johannes Pieter Roetert Tak van Poortvliet (born J.P.R. Tak) (21 June 1839, Engelen
– 26 January 1904, The Hague
), lord of the manor
of Poortvliet
and Cleverskerke, was a Dutch
politician
.
, North Brabant
where his father, Adriaan Tak, was a Dutch Reformed
minister. His father was a wealthy man, being the largest landowner in Zeeland
. Johannes Tak studied law
in Leiden (1857–1862), but he didn't practise law. He entered the public service and was one of the secretaries (commies-griffier) of de House of Representatives, the lower house
of the Dutch parliament. In 1868 he became the secretary of the State Commissioner for water management
in Zeeland and he showed himself a skillful man.
Johannes Tak van Poortvliet was attracted to liberalism
. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 1870 and was a strong supporter of Jan Kappeyne van de Coppello
, the leader of the progressive liberals. In 1877 he entered the Kappeyne van de Coppello
cabinet
as Minister of Water Management and Trade. In 1878 his "Channellaw," intended to create a network of channels
, was rejected by the House of Representatives. Tak and the other ministers of the cabinet resigned.
Tak van Poortvliet returned to the House of Representatives in 1880 and became leader of the progressive liberals (Kappeynianen). From 1884 to 1888 he was a member of the Senate (upper house
of parliament), but he returned in the House of Representatives in 1888. He was an ardent supporter of suffrage extension, an issue which strongly divided the Liberals. After the liberals won the parliamentary election in 1891, he was asked to become Minister of the Interior in the Van Tienhoven
cabinet. However, he only wanted to join the cabinet if the question of suffrage extension would become the main priority. As Minister of the Interior, he proposed a bill which would extend the right to vote to the whole adult male population. However, the right, including the "old liberals", were opposed and his bill was rejected by a majority of the House of Representatives in 1894. He dissolved the House, and hoped that new elections would result in a progressive majority. However, the Takkianen (his followers) lost the elections. Although he returned in the House of Representatives, he had lost most of his influence. From 1901 to 1904 he was again a member of the Senate.
Johannes Tak van Poortvliet was also a Dijkgraaf of the water board
of Delfland
(1887–1891).
He died on 26 January 1904 in The Hague
. At the time of his death he was a very rich man.
.
Engelen
Engelen is a village in the Dutch province of North Brabant. It is located in the municipality of 's-Hertogenbosch. Engelen is neighboring Vlijmen, Bokhoven and several parts of `s-Hertogenbosch.- Location and plan :...
– 26 January 1904, 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...
), lord of the manor
Lord of the Manor
The Lordship of a Manor is recognised today in England and Wales as a form of property and one of three elements of a manor that may exist separately or be combined and may be held in moieties...
of Poortvliet
Poortvliet
Poortvliet is a village in the Dutch province of Zeeland. It is a part of the municipality of Tholen, and lies about 12 km northwest of Bergen op Zoom.Poortvliet was a separate municipality until 1971, when it was merged with Tholen....
and Cleverskerke, 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
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
.
Biography
He was born in EngelenEngelen
Engelen is a village in the Dutch province of North Brabant. It is located in the municipality of 's-Hertogenbosch. Engelen is neighboring Vlijmen, Bokhoven and several parts of `s-Hertogenbosch.- Location and plan :...
, North Brabant
North Brabant
North Brabant , sometimes called Brabant, is a province of the Netherlands, located in the south of the country, bordered by Belgium in the south, the Meuse River in the north, Limburg in the east and Zeeland in the west.- History :...
where his father, Adriaan Tak, was a Dutch 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...
minister. His father was a wealthy man, being the largest landowner in Zeeland
Zeeland
Zeeland , also called Zealand in English, is the westernmost province of the Netherlands. The province, located in the south-west of the country, consists of a number of islands and a strip bordering Belgium. Its capital is Middelburg. With a population of about 380,000, its area is about...
. Johannes Tak studied 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...
in Leiden (1857–1862), but he didn't practise law. He entered the public service and was one of the secretaries (commies-griffier) of de House of Representatives, the lower house
Lower house
A lower house is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the upper house.Despite its official position "below" the upper house, in many legislatures worldwide the lower house has come to wield more power...
of the Dutch parliament. In 1868 he became the secretary of the State Commissioner for water management
Water management
Water management is the activity of planning, developing, distributing and managing the optimum use of water resources. In an ideal world. water management planning has regard to all the competing demands for water and seeks to allocate water on an equitable basis to satisfy all uses and demands...
in Zeeland and he showed himself a skillful man.
Johannes Tak van Poortvliet was attracted to liberalism
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 1870 and was a strong supporter of Jan Kappeyne van de Coppello
Jan Kappeyne van de Coppello
Joannes Kappeyne van de Coppello was a Dutch liberal politician. He was prime minister of the Netherlands between 1877 and 1879.-Career before politics:...
, the leader of the progressive liberals. In 1877 he entered the Kappeyne van de Coppello
Jan Kappeyne van de Coppello
Joannes Kappeyne van de Coppello was a Dutch liberal politician. He was prime minister of the Netherlands between 1877 and 1879.-Career before politics:...
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 :...
as Minister of Water Management and Trade. In 1878 his "Channellaw," intended to create a network of channels
Channel (geography)
In physical geography, a channel is the physical confine of a river, slough or ocean strait consisting of a bed and banks.A channel is also the natural or human-made deeper course through a reef, sand bar, bay, or any shallow body of water...
, was rejected by the House of Representatives. Tak and the other ministers of the cabinet resigned.
Tak van Poortvliet returned to the House of Representatives in 1880 and became leader of the progressive liberals (Kappeynianen). From 1884 to 1888 he was a member of the Senate (upper house
Upper house
An upper house, often called a senate, is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the lower house; a legislature composed of only one house is described as unicameral.- Possible specific characteristics :...
of parliament), but he returned in the House of Representatives in 1888. He was an ardent supporter of suffrage extension, an issue which strongly divided the Liberals. After the liberals won the parliamentary election in 1891, he was asked to become Minister of the Interior in the Van Tienhoven
Gijsbert van Tienhoven
Gijsbert van Tienhoven was prime minister of the Netherlands from 21 August 1891 until 8 May 1894. He was also mayor of Amsterdam from 1880 to 1891.-History:...
cabinet. However, he only wanted to join the cabinet if the question of suffrage extension would become the main priority. As Minister of the Interior, he proposed a bill which would extend the right to vote to the whole adult male population. However, the right, including the "old liberals", were opposed and his bill was rejected by a majority of the House of Representatives in 1894. He dissolved the House, and hoped that new elections would result in a progressive majority. However, the Takkianen (his followers) lost the elections. Although he returned in the House of Representatives, he had lost most of his influence. From 1901 to 1904 he was again a member of the Senate.
Johannes Tak van Poortvliet was also a Dijkgraaf of the water board
Water board
A water board is a regional organisation that has very different functions from one country to another, ranging from flood control, water resources management, water charging and financing, and bulk water supply.-Philippines:The...
of Delfland
Delft
Delft is a city and municipality in the province of South Holland , the Netherlands. It is located between Rotterdam and The Hague....
(1887–1891).
He died on 26 January 1904 in 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...
. At the time of his death he was a very rich man.
Political functions
- Leader of the Kappeynianen from February 1880 till 16 November 1884.
- Member of the Party Executive of the Liberal Union (Liberale Unie).
Name
- In 1874 his name was officially changed from Johannes Pieter Roetert Tak in Johannes Pieter Roetert Tak van Poortvliet. The latter part of his new last nameLast Name"Last Name" is the title of a song composed by country singer Carrie Underwood, Hillary Lindsey and Luke Laird. It is the third single from Underwood's second studio album, Carnival Ride. It was released in the United States on April 7, 2008, by which point the song had already charted...
refers to the Manor of PoortvlietPoortvlietPoortvliet is a village in the Dutch province of Zeeland. It is a part of the municipality of Tholen, and lies about 12 km northwest of Bergen op Zoom.Poortvliet was a separate municipality until 1971, when it was merged with Tholen....
(family property since the late 18th Century).
Family
Johannes Pieter Roetert Tak van Poortvliet was married to Louisa van Oordt (1850–1879). The couple had four children (3 daughters and 1 son). One of his daughters was Maria Tak van Poortvliet (1871–1936), a follower of Rudolf SteinerRudolf Steiner
Rudolf Joseph Lorenz Steiner was an Austrian philosopher, social reformer, architect, and esotericist. He gained initial recognition as a literary critic and cultural philosopher...
.