Roman-Catholic State Party
Encyclopedia
Roman-Catholic Political Party was a Dutch
Catholic
Christian-Democratic
political party
. The party was founded in 1926 as a continuation of the General League
. In 1945 the party became the Catholic People's Party
(KVP).
(General League of Roman-Catholic Caucuses). Since 1918, the General League called itself RKSP informally. Instead of the loose league of caucus
es, with little party discipline
, as the General League was, the RKSP became a real party, with stronger party discipline and organisation.
In 1922 another Catholic party, RKVP, was founded by former members of the General League. It was oriented towards Catholic workers. The General League received little competition from this party, but accelerated the RKSP's process of party-formation.
During the 1920s and the 1930s, the RKSP was the biggest party in the Netherlands, receiving a steady 30% percent of the vote at each election. During this entire period the party was in government, in coalition with the Anti Revolutionary Party
(ARP) and the Christian Historical Union
(CHU), two Protestant parties. This coalition was called the Coalition
.
The party was blocked from many political offices however, because of the historic discrimination against Catholics in the Netherlands
. Positions like the vice-president of the council of state and the President of the Senate and House of Representatives of parliament
were all filled by Protestants. The RKSP also supplied only one prime minister, Ruijs de Beerenbrouck
, between 1929 and 1933.
The cooperation with the ARP and CHU was problematic. In 1925 the cabinet was composed of the ARP, the CHU and the General League fell over the Dutch representation at the Holy See
. This issue continued to divide the RKSP and the CHU and the ARP, as did the prohibition of traditional marches by Catholic churches and the role of government in the economy.
The cabinet Colijn-II fell because the RKSP wanted a more interventionist economic policy, but that cabinet was restored. In 1939, however the Cabinet Colijn IV fell again on economic policy. In 1939, a coalition of RKSP, CHU, Free-thinking Democratic League (VDB) and Social Democratic Workers' Party
(SDAP) ended more than 20 years of Coalition government.
After war
, the RKSP was replaced by the KVP.
of 1891. In this Pope Leo XIII called for stronger government interference in the economy, while denouncing socialism
.
The party was a staunch proponent of a corporatist
economy, where employer's organisations, union
s and state
work together for the common good. The RKSP was in favour of social and labour legislation. During the 1930s the call for a more active role of government was strengthened, due to the economic crisis.
The RKSP wanted strong government control over public morality: divorce should be limited, the Sunday's rest was to be kept, cinemas and theatres should be kept under tight government control, alcohol addiction should be combated.
In international affairs the RKSP was an advocate of Dutch neutrality, which was to be maintained by a strong army and navy. Furthermore the party was in favour of the colonial government of the Dutch Indies.
and the Catholic paper De Volkskrant
were the voices of the RKSP.
led the party since its foundation, till his death in 1931.
The former professor and minister Aalberse succeeded Nolens.
Other prominent figures were Ruijs de Beerenbrouck
, Prime Minister between 1918 and 1925, and between 1929 and 1933 and the young Romme, who would lead the KVP in the 1940s and 1950s.
. In North Brabant
and Limburg
, it often got more than 90% of the vote.
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...
Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
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...
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 party was founded in 1926 as a continuation of the General League
Algemeene Bond van RK-kiesverenigingen
The General League of Roman Catholic Caucuses was a Dutch Catholic political party...
. In 1945 the party became the Catholic People's Party
Catholic People's Party
The Catholic People's Party was a Catholic Christian democratic Dutch political party. During its entire existence, the party was in government. The party is one of the precursors of the Christian Democratic Appeal.- 1945-1965 :The KVP was founded on 22 December, 1945...
(KVP).
History
The RKSP was founded June 3, 1926, as the continuation of the Algemeene Bond van RK-kiesverenigingenAlgemeene Bond van RK-kiesverenigingen
The General League of Roman Catholic Caucuses was a Dutch Catholic political party...
(General League of Roman-Catholic Caucuses). Since 1918, the General League called itself RKSP informally. Instead of the loose league of 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:...
es, with little 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...
, as the General League was, the RKSP became a real party, with stronger party discipline and organisation.
In 1922 another Catholic party, RKVP, was founded by former members of the General League. It was oriented towards Catholic workers. The General League received little competition from this party, but accelerated the RKSP's process of party-formation.
During the 1920s and the 1930s, the RKSP was the biggest party in the Netherlands, receiving a steady 30% percent of the vote at each election. During this entire period the party was in government, in coalition with 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...
(ARP) and the Christian Historical Union
Christian Historical Union
The Christian Historical Union was a Dutch conservative Protestant political party. The CHU is one of the predecessors of the Christian Democratic Appeal.-History before 1908:...
(CHU), two Protestant parties. This coalition was called the Coalition
Coalition (Netherlands)
The Coalition is a historic coalition of the three confessional parties of the Netherlands, the Christian Historical Union, Anti-Revolutionary Party and Roman Catholic State Party. They were united in their common plight for equal financing for religious schools. They were opposed to the...
.
The party was blocked from many political offices however, because of the historic discrimination against Catholics in the Netherlands
History of religion in the Netherlands
The history of religion in the Netherlands has been characterized by considerable diversity of religious thought and practice.-Before the Reformation:...
. Positions like the vice-president of the council of state and the President of the Senate and House of Representatives of parliament
States-General of the Netherlands
The States-General of the Netherlands is the bicameral legislature of the Netherlands, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The parliament meets in at the Binnenhof in The Hague. The archaic Dutch word "staten" originally related to the feudal classes in which medieval...
were all filled by Protestants. The RKSP also supplied only one prime minister, Ruijs de Beerenbrouck
Charles Ruijs de Beerenbrouck
Jhr. Charles Joseph Maria Ruijs de Beerenbrouck was a Dutch nobleman and Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 1918 to 1925 and again from 1929 to 1933...
, between 1929 and 1933.
The cooperation with the ARP and CHU was problematic. In 1925 the cabinet was composed of the ARP, the CHU and the General League fell over the Dutch representation at the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
. This issue continued to divide the RKSP and the CHU and the ARP, as did the prohibition of traditional marches by Catholic churches and the role of government in the economy.
The cabinet Colijn-II fell because the RKSP wanted a more interventionist economic policy, but that cabinet was restored. In 1939, however the Cabinet Colijn IV fell again on economic policy. In 1939, a coalition of RKSP, CHU, Free-thinking Democratic League (VDB) and Social Democratic Workers' Party
Social Democratic Workers' Party (Netherlands)
The Social Democratic Workers' Party was a Dutch socialist political party and a predecessor of the social-democratic PvdA.-1893-1904:...
(SDAP) ended more than 20 years of Coalition government.
After war
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the RKSP was replaced by the KVP.
Ideology
The RKSP based on biblical norms and Catholic dogma. An important encyclical was Rerum NovarumRerum Novarum
Rerum Novarum is an encyclical issued by Pope Leo XIII on May 15, 1891. It was an open letter, passed to all Catholic bishops, that addressed the condition of the working classes. The encyclical is entitled: “Rights and Duties of Capital and Labour”...
of 1891. In this Pope Leo XIII called for stronger government interference in the economy, while denouncing socialism
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
.
The party was a staunch proponent of a corporatist
Corporatism
Corporatism, also known as corporativism, is a system of economic, political, or social organization that involves association of the people of society into corporate groups, such as agricultural, business, ethnic, labor, military, patronage, or scientific affiliations, on the basis of common...
economy, where employer's organisations, union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
s and state
Sovereign state
A sovereign state, or simply, state, is a state with a defined territory on which it exercises internal and external sovereignty, a permanent population, a government, and the capacity to enter into relations with other sovereign states. It is also normally understood to be a state which is neither...
work together for the common good. The RKSP was in favour of social and labour legislation. During the 1930s the call for a more active role of government was strengthened, due to the economic crisis.
The RKSP wanted strong government control over public morality: divorce should be limited, the Sunday's rest was to be kept, cinemas and theatres should be kept under tight government control, alcohol addiction should be combated.
In international affairs the RKSP was an advocate of Dutch neutrality, which was to be maintained by a strong army and navy. Furthermore the party was in favour of the colonial government of the Dutch Indies.
Linked organisations
The KVP had close links to many other Catholic institutions such as the Roman-Catholic Church and together they formed the Catholic pillar. These organisations included the Catholic Labour Union, the Catholic Employers Organisation, the Catholic Farmers' Organisation, Catholic Hospitals united in the Yellow-White Cross and Catholic Schools. The Catholic Broadcasting Association KROKRO
KRO, or Katholieke Radio Omroep , is a Dutch public broadcasting organization founded on 23 April 1925. Broadly Catholic in its spiritual outlook, KRO broadcasts the bulk of its television output on the Nederland 1 channel. KRO is also responsible for managing broadcasts made by the Catholic Church...
and the Catholic paper De Volkskrant
De Volkskrant
de Volkskrant is a national daily Dutch morning newspaper, the leading centre-left broadsheet, although now in tabloid size.-History:...
were the voices of the RKSP.
Important figures
The Limburg-based priest NolensWillem Hubert Nolens
Mgr. mr. dr. Wilhelmus Hubertus Nolens was a Dutch politician and a Roman Catholic priest.-Life:Willem Hubert Nolens was born to Martin Nolens, a tanner, and Hermina Hubertina Linskens...
led the party since its foundation, till his death in 1931.
The former professor and minister Aalberse succeeded Nolens.
Other prominent figures were Ruijs de Beerenbrouck
Charles Ruijs de Beerenbrouck
Jhr. Charles Joseph Maria Ruijs de Beerenbrouck was a Dutch nobleman and Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 1918 to 1925 and again from 1929 to 1933...
, Prime Minister between 1918 and 1925, and between 1929 and 1933 and the young Romme, who would lead the KVP in the 1940s and 1950s.
Electorate
The RKSP was supported by Catholics of all classesSocial class
Social classes are economic or cultural arrangements of groups in society. Class is an essential object of analysis for sociologists, political scientists, economists, anthropologists and social historians. In the social sciences, social class is often discussed in terms of 'social stratification'...
. In 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 :...
and Limburg
Limburg (Netherlands)
Limburg is the southernmost of the twelve provinces of the Netherlands. It is located in the southeastern part of the country and bordered by the province of Gelderland to the north, Germany to the east, Belgium to the south and part of the west, andthe Dutch province of North Brabant partly to...
, it often got more than 90% of the vote.