League of Free Liberals
Encyclopedia
The League of Free Liberals (in Dutch
: Bond van Vrije Liberalen) was a Dutch
conservative liberal
political party
and a predecessor of the Liberal State Party
which is historically linked to the VVD, the major Dutch liberal party.
. After the 1877 elections the first signs of a real conservative tendency were visible. They were led by Gleichman and where therefore called Gleichmannians, as opposed to Kappeynians (who supported Kappeyne van de Coppello). In 1885 however all liberals united in the Liberal Union.
In 1894 the conflict between the progressive
and conservative tendencies heated over the proposed relaxation of the census
. A group of prominent conservative liberals left the Liberal Union. They lacked real leadership, they had no official chairman for their parliamentary party in the House of Representatives. Instead charismatic politicians gathered like-minded MPs around them. After the 1894 election
s many conservative liberals were represented in the cabinet, led by the liberal conservative Roëll
. The conservative liberals had good relations with the Liberal Union and two political groups cooperated in many electoral districts and some prominent conservative liberals were minister in progressive liberal governments, like De Beaufort, who served as minister of Foreign Affairs in cabinet led by Van Tienhoven
(1891–1894). The Meester Cabinet also had several liberal conservative ministers.
The League of Free Liberals was founded in 1906 as a political club of these conservative liberals. They had long opposed the idea of an organized political party. But because they were losing elections against the well organized parties like the Liberal Union and the Anti Revolutionary Party
, they felt forced to.
In the 1909 election
s the League received a meager four seats and were confined to opposition to a Christian-democratic
government. After the 1913 elections
the League formed an alliance with the Liberal Union, proposing the implementation of universal suffrage
and state pension
s. The party doubled more than its seats to ten. Two Free Liberals become minister in the extra-parliamentary cabinet
, led by Cort van Linden
, which enacts universal suffrage.
In the 1918 election
s the party is left with three seats. It joined the Liberal Union and the minor Middle Class Party
, Neutral Party
and the Economic League
to form the Liberal State Party, the Freedom League
.
and a centralized organisation but a league of independent MPs. The conservative liberals were called free liberals before they had founded a separate party.
party emphasising the freedom of the individual
. It favoured a laissez faire economic system, a nightwatchman state and free trade
. It was in favour of the gradual implementation of universal suffrage
. The party was a staunch defender of the separation of church and state
.
, Rotterdam
and Utrecht
and larger provincial centres in North
and South Holland
.
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
: Bond van Vrije Liberalen) was a Dutch
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 liberal
Conservative liberalism
Conservative liberalism is a variant of liberalism, combining liberal values and policies with conservative stances, or, more simply, representing the right-wing of the liberal movement....
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...
and a predecessor of the Liberal State Party
Liberal State Party
The Liberal State Party, "the Freedom League" , was a Dutch conservative liberal political party from 1921 to 1948...
which is historically linked to the VVD, the major Dutch liberal party.
Party History
The League of Free Liberals was the first official organisation of old, free or conservative liberals, who had been elected on individual tickets since the 1870s. They held a considerable number of seats in the late 1880s and 1890s. The conservative liberals were opposed to the progressive politics of liberal politicians like Kappeyne van de CoppelloJan 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:...
. After the 1877 elections the first signs of a real conservative tendency were visible. They were led by Gleichman and where therefore called Gleichmannians, as opposed to Kappeynians (who supported Kappeyne van de Coppello). In 1885 however all liberals united in the Liberal Union.
In 1894 the conflict between the progressive
Progressivism
Progressivism is an umbrella term for a political ideology advocating or favoring social, political, and economic reform or changes. Progressivism is often viewed by some conservatives, constitutionalists, and libertarians to be in opposition to conservative or reactionary ideologies.The...
and conservative tendencies heated over the proposed relaxation of the census
Householder Franchise
Householder Franchise or census suffrage is where a homeowner has the right to vote in an election. This is a limited form of suffrage, but different from equal voting because, to borrow a dictum, householder franchise is one Household, one vote because it entitles only the householder one vote....
. A group of prominent conservative liberals left the Liberal Union. They lacked real leadership, they had no official chairman for their parliamentary party in the House of Representatives. Instead charismatic politicians gathered like-minded MPs around them. After the 1894 election
Dutch general election, 1894
A general election of the House of Representatives of the Dutch Parliament was held in the Netherlands in 1894.-National summary:-Parties:* Anti Revolutionary Party * Liberal Union...
s many conservative liberals were represented in the cabinet, led by the liberal conservative Roëll
Joan Röell
Jonkheer Joan Röell was a Dutch nobleman, lawyer, politician and statesman. He was a member of a prominent Dutch noble family which produced many public administrators and politicians....
. The conservative liberals had good relations with the Liberal Union and two political groups cooperated in many electoral districts and some prominent conservative liberals were minister in progressive liberal governments, like De Beaufort, who served as minister of Foreign Affairs in cabinet led by 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:...
(1891–1894). The Meester Cabinet also had several liberal conservative ministers.
The League of Free Liberals was founded in 1906 as a political club of these conservative liberals. They had long opposed the idea of an organized political party. But because they were losing elections against the well organized parties like the Liberal Union and 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...
, they felt forced to.
In the 1909 election
Dutch general election, 1909
A general election of the House of Representatives of the Dutch Parliament was held in the Netherlands in 1909.-National summary:-Parties:* Anti Revolutionary Party...
s the League received a meager four seats and were confined to opposition to a Christian-democratic
Christian Democracy
Christian democracy is a political ideology that seeks to apply Christian principles to public policy. It emerged in nineteenth-century Europe under the influence of conservatism and Catholic social teaching...
government. After the 1913 elections
Dutch general election, 1913
A general election of the House of Representatives of the Dutch Parliament was held in the Netherlands in 1913.-National summary:-Parties:* Anti Revolutionary Party...
the League formed an alliance with the Liberal Union, proposing the implementation of 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...
and state pension
Pension
In general, a pension is an arrangement to provide people with an income when they are no longer earning a regular income from employment. Pensions should not be confused with severance pay; the former is paid in regular installments, while the latter is paid in one lump sum.The terms retirement...
s. The party doubled more than its seats to ten. Two Free Liberals become minister in the extra-parliamentary cabinet
Cabinet of the Netherlands
The cabinet of the Netherlands is the main executive body of the Dutch government. The current cabinet of the Netherlands is the Rutte cabinet.-Composition and role:...
, led by Cort van Linden
Pieter Cort van der Linden
Pieter Wilhelm Adriaan Cort van der Linden was a Dutch politician. He served as prime minister of the Netherlands between 1913 and 1918....
, which enacts universal suffrage.
In the 1918 election
Dutch general election, 1918
A general election of the House of Representatives of the Dutch Parliament was held in the Netherlands on July 3, 1918. It was the first election in which universal male suffrage was applied, and the first in which a system of proportional representation was used...
s the party is left with three seats. It joined the Liberal Union and the minor Middle Class Party
Middle Class Party
The Middenstandspartij was a Dutch political party representing middle class interests. It played only a marginal role in Dutch politics.-Party History:...
, Neutral Party
Neutral Party
The Neutral Party was a Dutch political party representing artists' interests. It played only a marginal role in Dutch politics.-History:...
and the Economic League
Economic League (Netherlands)
The Economic League was a Dutch liberal political party. It played only a marginal role in Dutch politics.-Party History:...
to form the Liberal State Party, the Freedom League
Liberal State Party
The Liberal State Party, "the Freedom League" , was a Dutch conservative liberal political party from 1921 to 1948...
.
Name
The party's name League of Free Liberals was supposed to convey that the party was not a classical political party, with party disciplineParty 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...
and a centralized organisation but a league of independent MPs. The conservative liberals were called free liberals before they had founded a separate party.
Ideology & Issues
The League was a conservative liberalConservative liberalism
Conservative liberalism is a variant of liberalism, combining liberal values and policies with conservative stances, or, more simply, representing the right-wing of the liberal movement....
party emphasising the freedom of the individual
Individual
An individual is a person or any specific object or thing in a collection. Individuality is the state or quality of being an individual; a person separate from other persons and possessing his or her own needs, goals, and desires. Being self expressive...
. It favoured a laissez faire economic system, a nightwatchman state and free trade
Free trade
Under a free trade policy, prices emerge from supply and demand, and are the sole determinant of resource allocation. 'Free' trade differs from other forms of trade policy where the allocation of goods and services among trading countries are determined by price strategies that may differ from...
. It was in favour of the gradual implementation of 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...
. The party was a staunch defender of the separation of church and state
Separation of church and state
The concept of the separation of church and state refers to the distance in the relationship between organized religion and the nation state....
.
Representation
This table shows the League'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. The party's leader can also be in cabinet therefore the highest ranking minister of League is represented when they are in government.| Year | HoR | S | Fractievoorzitter | 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... |
Cabinet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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... |
13* | 0 | * | n/a | Willem de Beaufort |
| 1898 | 13* | 0 | * | n/a | Willem de Beaufort |
| 1899 | 13* | 0 | * | n/a | Willem de Beaufort |
| 1900 | 13* | 0 | * | n/a | Willem de Beaufort |
| 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... |
9* | 0 | * | n/a | opposition |
| 1902 | 9* | 0 | * | n/a | opposition |
| 1903 | 9* | 0 | * | n/a | opposition |
| 1904 | 9* | 0 | * | n/a | opposition |
| 1905 Dutch general election, 1905 A general election of the House of Representatives of the Dutch Parliament was held in the Netherlands in 1905.-National summary:-Parties:* Anti Revolutionary Party... |
9* | 0 | * | n/a | supports cabinet let by De Meester |
| 1906 | 9 | 0 | Map Tydeman | n/a | supports cabinet led by De Meester |
| 1907 | 9 | 0 | Map Tydeman | n/a | supports cabinet led by De Meester |
| 1908 | 9 | 0 | Map Tydeman | n/a | opposition |
| 1909 Dutch general election, 1909 A general election of the House of Representatives of the Dutch Parliament was held in the Netherlands in 1909.-National summary:-Parties:* Anti Revolutionary Party... |
4 | 0 | Map Tydeman | n/a | opposition |
| 1910 | 4 | 0 | Map Tydeman | n/a | opposition |
| 1911 | 4 | 0 | Map Tydeman | n/a | opposition |
| 1912 | 4 | 0 | Map Tydeman | n/a | opposition |
| 1913 Dutch general election, 1913 A general election of the House of Representatives of the Dutch Parliament was held in the Netherlands in 1913.-National summary:-Parties:* Anti Revolutionary Party... |
10 | 0 | Map Tydeman | n/a | Nicolaas Nosboom |
| 1914 | 10 | 0 | Map Tydeman | n/a | Nicolaas Nosboom |
| 1915 | 10 | 0 | Map Tydeman | n/a | Nicolaas Nosboom |
| 1916 | 10 | 0 | Hendrik Dresselhuys | n/a | Nicolaas Nosboom |
| 1917 Dutch general election, 1917 A general election of the House of Representatives of the Dutch Parliament was held in the Netherlands in 1917.In this election, the parties agreed to hold elections in which the incumbent members of parliament were the only candidates in order to allow a change in the constitution to introduce... |
10 | 0 | Hendrik Dresselhuys | n/a | Anton van Gijn |
| 1918 Dutch general election, 1918 A general election of the House of Representatives of the Dutch Parliament was held in the Netherlands on July 3, 1918. It was the first election in which universal male suffrage was applied, and the first in which a system of proportional representation was used... |
4 | 0 | Hendrik Dresselhuys | Hendrik Dresselhuys | opposition |
| 1919 | 4 | 0 | Hendrik Dresselhuys | n/a | opposition |
| 1920 | 4 | 0 | Hendrik Dresselhuys | n/a | opposition |
Electorate
The League was supported by bourgeoise voters from AmsterdamAmsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, 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...
and Utrecht
Utrecht (city)
Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features...
and larger provincial centres in North
North Holland
North Holland |West Frisian]]: Noard-Holland) is a province situated on the North Sea in the northwest part of the Netherlands. The provincial capital is Haarlem and its largest city is Amsterdam.-Geography:...
and South Holland
South Holland
South Holland is a province situated on the North Sea in the western part of the Netherlands. The provincial capital is The Hague and its largest city is Rotterdam.South Holland is one of the most densely populated and industrialised areas in the world...
.