Governance and politics of the Netherlands / Rudy B. Andeweg and Galen A. Irwin.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Andeweg, R. B., author.

Contributor:

Irwin, Galen A.

Series:

Comparative government and politics (Palgrave Macmillan (Firm))

Comparative government and politics series

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Netherlands--Politics and government--1945-.

Netherlands.

Politics and government.

Physical Description:

xv, 331 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm.

Edition:

Fourth edition.

Place of Publication:

Basingsotke, Hampshire : Palgrave Macmillan, 2014.

Summary:

The Netherlands has often been characterized as a place of political calm, with an ethos of cooperation and compromise on the part of citizens and politicians on the key issues for parliamentary debate. Now, at a time when immigration and European integration are high on the political agenda, populist parties are on the rise, and the electorate is growing ever more unpredictable, it is vital to question how the Dutch system will continue to achieve consensus. The widespread financial crisis of recent years, controversial decisions in foreign policy and the accession of a new king have also shaped this evolving political landscape. In this fully revised and updated new edition of the leading text in the field, the authors account for contemporary developments in Dutch politics at all levels, from the subnational to the international. They also examine the features of the country's political system that have long made it a subject of study for political scientists: its consociational form of democracy, the difficulties of cabinet formation, the so-called 'polder model', seen as responsible for the swings in economic fortune, and the pragmatic approach of Dutch society to issues such as euthanasia and drugs. Clearly and accessibly written, Governance and Politics of the Netherlands provides a comprehensive and reliable introduction to a country whose small size belies its importance in comparative political analysis. Book jacket.

Contents:

1 The Country, the Nation and the State 1

A 'Small' Country 1

The Struggle Against the Water 3

Three Boundaries 5

The Boundaries of Language and Religion 5

The Political Boundary 6

National Identity and Political Culture 9

Calvinism and Tolerance 9

A Nation of Joiners 16

Constitutional Development 20

2 A Country of Minorities 27

Three Threats to Stable Government 27

Minorities 27

Two Dimensions 32

Pillarization 33

Consociational Democracy 39

Alternative Interpretations 43

Depolarization 46

Multiculturalism as a New Social Cleavage? 49

The Consequences of Depillarization 54

3 Political Parties and the Party System 58

Parties and Consociational Democracy 58

Political Party System 59

The Numerical Criterion 59

Party Families 62

Dimensionality 73

Party Organization 80

Party Structure 80

Party Membership 83

Party Finances 86

Parties and Elections 91

Candidate Selection - the List 91

Candidate Selection - the List- Puller 93

A Decline of Parties? 95

4 Elections 98

The Electoral System 98

General Characteristics 98

Legal Requirements 100

Campaigning 109

Election campaigns in the media 114

Electoral Behaviour 117

From a Structured to an Open Model 117

Ideology and Issues 120

A New Dimension 124

Short term Factors 127

Choice Sets 130

Retrospective Voting 130

Party Leaders 133

Strategic Voting 136

Conclusion 139

5 The Core Executive 140

The Coalition Imperative 140

Building the Governing Coalition 140

Procedures of Cabinet Formation 141

Critique and Attempts at Reform 146

Coalition Theory and Dutch Cabinets 151

Collective and Collegial Government 154

The Position of Prime Minister 154

The Politicization of the Core Executive 157

6 Parliament 163

Separation of Powers within a Parliamentary System 163

Parliamentary Organization and Procedures 164

The Structure of Parliament 164

Parliamentary Procedures 170

Executive legislative Relations 174

From Institution to Arena 174

Parliament as a Marketplace 177

The Coexistence of Institution, Arena and Marketplace 177

Parliament and the People 182

7 The Policy-Making Process 188

'An Orchestra with No Conductor?' 188

Corporatism 188

Organized Interests 189

PBO and Advisory Councils 191

Changes in Corporatism 193

The Sources of Corporatism 196

The Bureaucracy 198

Judicial Policy-Making 203

Conclusion 211

8 Multi-Level Governance 212

The Territorial Dimension 212

Subnational Government 212

Provincial Government 212

Local Government 214

Europeanization 220

Strengthening Coordination 222

Strengthening the Core Executive 226

A Double Democratic Deficit 228

9 Economic and Welfare Policy 230

Open Economy 230

Macro-economic Policy 233

The Creation of the Welfare State and the Dutch Disease' 234

Restructuring the Welfare State and the 'Dutch Miracle' 237

New Challenges and Crises 242

Consensus and Conflict on Macro-economic Policy 248

10 Foreign Policy 251

'Constants' in Dutch Foreign Policy 251

Farewell to Atlanticism? 253

A European Turnaround? 259

Interests versus Idealism? 267

The Domestication of Dutch Foreign Policy 270

11 Evaluating Consensus Government 272

Fragmentation and Horizontal Coordination 272

The Consequences of Consensus 274

Public Confidence in the Political System 277

Attempts at Reform 283

The Future of Consensus Government 285.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (page 291-312) and index.

ISBN:

9781137289940

1137289945

1137289937

9781137289933

OCLC:

887920949