Democratic Socialists 1970
Encyclopedia
Democratisch Socialisten '70 (abbreviated DS'70) was a Dutch
social-democratic
political party.
position the PvdA had taken in the Vietnam war
. They had previously been frustrated by its cooperation with other left-wing parties, such as the PSP, and its leftist fiscal policy.
In its declaration of principles (Beginselverklaring), the Democratic Socialists argued that whilst the VVD lacked the comprehension of the necessity of social and economic reforms, the PvdA had at the time anarchist and unrealistic pacifist aspirations
In the 1971 election
the party won eight seats in parliament. After the elections, the party cooperated in the Biesheuvel cabinet
, together with the VVD, ARP, CHU and KVP. The party supplied two ministers and two junior ministers, among them the party leader, Willem Drees jr, who became minister of Transport and Water Works. In 1972 the cabinet fell because of the opposition of DS'70 to the proposed budget. DS'70 ministers refused to accept budget cuts in their own departments.
In the 1972 election
, the party lost two seats, and it was confined to opposition to the Den Uyl cabinet
.
Directly after its foundation two factions developed: the social-democratic faction led by Jan van Stuijvenberg, and the anti-communist faction led by Frans Goedhart. In 1975 the divisions led to a conflict. The party leader, Willem Drees Jr, was seen as conservatively social-democratic, lacking a willingness to reform and the ability to oppose the den Uyl cabinet fiercely. However, Drees won the conflict, and a group of prominent members left the party.
In the 1977 election
the party was left with only one seat, which it lost at the Dutch general election, 1981
. In 1983 the party was officially dissolved.
was having too great an impact on the PvdA. DS'70 was a fiercely anti-communist party. It supported the American involvement in Vietnam, North Atlantic cooperation, and strong defense.
The party was fiscally conservative, supporting a balanced budget
. One of its main issues was battling inflation
. Therefore the party wanted to restrict government spending and implement the principle of profit for many government services.
The DS'70 was aware of the problems of migration
in urban areas; the party wanted to restrict the migration of Dutch citizens from Surinam.
However, the party did support a modern natural environment
al policy with strong public transport
and restrained automobile use.
The party magazine was called Political Bulletin of DS'70, and since 1978 Buitenhof (Outer Court, in contrast with the Inner Court, the nickname of the buildings of the Dutch parliament and government). Its youth organisation was the Social-Democratic Youth Active.
. His father left the PvdA during the 1970s but did not join his son's party. At the beginning of the 1980s, the famous Dutch chess player Max Euwe
featured as a DS'70 lijstduwer
in the elections for the House of Representatives.
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...
social-democratic
Social democracy
Social democracy is a political ideology of the center-left on the political spectrum. Social democracy is officially a form of evolutionary reformist socialism. It supports class collaboration as the course to achieve socialism...
political party.
History
DS'70 was founded on April 4, 1970 as a result of a split from the Dutch Labour Party, PvdA. In June 1970 two members of the House of Representatives, Goedhart and Schuitemaker, left the PvdA and became members of DS'70, because of the anti-AmericanAnti-Americanism
The term Anti-Americanism, or Anti-American Sentiment, refers to broad opposition or hostility to the people, policies, culture or government of the United States...
position the PvdA had taken in the Vietnam war
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. They had previously been frustrated by its cooperation with other left-wing parties, such as the PSP, and its leftist fiscal policy.
In its declaration of principles (Beginselverklaring), the Democratic Socialists argued that whilst the VVD lacked the comprehension of the necessity of social and economic reforms, the PvdA had at the time anarchist and unrealistic pacifist aspirations
In the 1971 election
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%...
the party won eight seats in parliament. After the elections, the party cooperated in the Biesheuvel cabinet
Netherlands cabinet Biesheuvel-1
The first Biesheuvel cabinet was a Dutch cabinet with ministers from ARP, CHU , Roman Catholic KVP, the conservative-liberal VVD and moderate socialist DS'70, which had just split off from PvdA....
, together with the VVD, ARP, CHU and KVP. The party supplied two ministers and two junior ministers, among them the party leader, Willem Drees jr, who became minister of Transport and Water Works. In 1972 the cabinet fell because of the opposition of DS'70 to the proposed budget. DS'70 ministers refused to accept budget cuts in their own departments.
In the 1972 election
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:...
, the party lost two seats, and it was confined to opposition to the Den Uyl cabinet
Netherlands cabinet Den Uyl
The Den Uyl cabinet was a Dutch left-wing cabinet under prime minister Joop den Uyl with ministers from PvdA, PPR, D66, KVP and ARP. The last two parties were actually moderately right-wing, but left-wing elements within these parties supported cabinet den Uyl to create a left-wing majority...
.
Directly after its foundation two factions developed: the social-democratic faction led by Jan van Stuijvenberg, and the anti-communist faction led by Frans Goedhart. In 1975 the divisions led to a conflict. The party leader, Willem Drees Jr, was seen as conservatively social-democratic, lacking a willingness to reform and the ability to oppose the den Uyl cabinet fiercely. However, Drees won the conflict, and a group of prominent members left the party.
In the 1977 election
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 was left with only one seat, which it lost at the Dutch general election, 1981
Dutch 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:...
. In 1983 the party was officially dissolved.
Ideology
DS'70 saw itself as a social-democratic party. Its founders thought that the mainstream social-democratic party PvdA was becoming too radical in its economic and international policy and that the New LeftNew Left
The New Left was a term used mainly in the United Kingdom and United States in reference to activists, educators, agitators and others in the 1960s and 1970s who sought to implement a broad range of reforms, in contrast to earlier leftist or Marxist movements that had taken a more vanguardist...
was having too great an impact on the PvdA. DS'70 was a fiercely anti-communist party. It supported the American involvement in Vietnam, North Atlantic cooperation, and strong defense.
The party was fiscally conservative, supporting a balanced budget
Balanced budget
A balanced budget is when there is neither a budget deficit or a budget surplus – when revenues equal expenditure – particularly by a government. More generally, it refers to when there is no deficit, but possibly a surplus...
. One of its main issues was battling inflation
Inflation
In economics, inflation is a rise in the general level of prices of goods and services in an economy over a period of time.When the general price level rises, each unit of currency buys fewer goods and services. Consequently, inflation also reflects an erosion in the purchasing power of money – a...
. Therefore the party wanted to restrict government spending and implement the principle of profit for many government services.
The DS'70 was aware of the problems of migration
Human migration
Human migration is physical movement by humans from one area to another, sometimes over long distances or in large groups. Historically this movement was nomadic, often causing significant conflict with the indigenous population and their displacement or cultural assimilation. Only a few nomadic...
in urban areas; the party wanted to restrict the migration of Dutch citizens from Surinam.
However, the party did support a modern natural environment
Natural environment
The natural environment encompasses all living and non-living things occurring naturally on Earth or some region thereof. It is an environment that encompasses the interaction of all living species....
al policy with strong public transport
Public transport
Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...
and restrained automobile use.
Linked organisations
DS'70 lacked the links with other societal organisations that many Dutch parties had.The party magazine was called Political Bulletin of DS'70, and since 1978 Buitenhof (Outer Court, in contrast with the Inner Court, the nickname of the buildings of the Dutch parliament and government). Its youth organisation was the Social-Democratic Youth Active.
Important figures
Willem Drees Jr was party leader between 1971 and 1977. He was minister of Transport and Water Works, and lijsttrekker (top candidate) in the 1971, 1972 and 1977 elections. Drees lost the last two elections and he was criticized for his alleged solistic behaviour and lack of charisma. He was the son of former prime minister DreesWillem Drees
Willem Drees was a Dutch politician of the Labour Party . He served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands from August 7, 1948 until December 22, 1958....
. His father left the PvdA during the 1970s but did not join his son's party. At the beginning of the 1980s, the famous Dutch chess player Max Euwe
Max Euwe
Machgielis Euwe was a Dutch chess Grandmaster, mathematician, and author. He was the fifth player to become World Chess Champion . Euwe also served as President of FIDE, the World Chess Federation, from 1970 to 1978.- Early years :Euwe was born in Watergraafsmeer, near Amsterdam...
featured as a DS'70 lijstduwer
Lijstduwer
Lijstduwer is a Dutch term for the last candidate on a party list.In Suriname, the Netherlands and Belgium, this position is often taken by well-known non-politicians such as artists and sportspeople. They are officially a candidate, but they are put at the end of the party list in a bid to...
in the elections for the House of Representatives.