This article develops a historical perspective on the coordinated market economy of the Netherlands and explains why it opted for compartmentalized liberalization. Two related questions are addressed, studying the Netherlands as a case study of a Coordinated Market Economy (CME): to what extent can economic change be accommodated within one “type of capitalism”? And why do specific institutions change while others remain in place? Applying the criteria of “Varieties of Capitalism” I focus on the way the Dutch business system applied nonmarket coordination during the twentieth century. Drawing information from various subfields (business history, labor relations and welfare state studies), I review processes of change and postulate that coordination resulted in the adoption of market-oriented reform in clearly delineated areas. “Varieties of Capitalism” theory addresses the historical roots of institutional arrangements, but historical developments have been underexposed in the comparative capitalism-literature.

Disasters often prompt debates regarding public policy and lead to changes in safety regulations. With the deaths of 47 passengers and crew, the 1993 Sunset Limited tragedy focused public and governmental attention upon safety practices aboard uninspected towing vessels operated on US inland waterways. The event shaped the policy debate as the federal government imposed new safety regulations upon the towing industry and the dominant industry trade organization, the American Waterways Operators, adopted an industry-driven safety program. Subsequent tragedies revealed the inadequacies of the AWO’s Responsible Carrier Program and pushed industry stakeholders toward the creation of a formal US Coast Guard inspection regime for all uninspected towing vessels. Set within the context of steamboat safety regulations dating from 1838 and drawn from diverse primary sources, this article traces the evolution of safety coregulation aboard America’s uninspected towing vessels, explores the Coast Guard’s reluctance to establish a formal inspection regime for uninspected towing vessels, and highlights why self regulation without a form of strong government or third-party involvement is often unsuccessful.