9 - The “modesty” of Dutch party finance

Summary

THE DUTCH PARTY SYSTEM

This chapter explores the specifics of Dutch party finance. Relatively cheap election campaigns, quasi-absence of business donations and reluctance to grant state subventions to parties can only be explained in terms of a Dutch political system in transition. Dutch society is and has always been highly segmented, which was also reflected on the political level. This situation was most often compared – at least until the 1960s – with the structure of an ancient Greek temple. From 1920 onwards, several “pillars” of ideological or religious groupings existed side by side without knowing each other very well. Thus, it was possible that, within the same village or town, Catholic, Protestant, Socialist or Liberal “societies” (including soccer clubs, trade unions, churches, and political parties) were present almost without having any contact with comparable organizations in the other “societies.” This also was the case at the provincial and national level; broadcasting organizations are but one example. So, it was not a specific common policy area or interest that defined the relations between organizations, but their common religion or ideology.

The vertical organization of the “societies” is illustrated by the metaphor of the “pillars”: side by side, but at a certain distance. Only cooperation by the political elite at the top of these pillars (the roof of the temple) guaranteed a rather stable political system in spite of a very segmented society.