History Chapter 6, The
Netherlands in the 20th century
6.1, Introduction
o New youth cultures are emerging all the time
o This chapter is about the history of the Netherlands from 1900 onwards
1900-1950 (Age of World wars), 1950-Now (age of television and computers)
6.2, The neutrality of the Netherlands
Hendrik Colijn was prime minister of the Netherlands from 1933 to 1939. In 1935, he held a
radio speech about the economic crisis in the Netherlands. This was in the time of the
Second world war.
A segregated society
o Around 1900, over a third of men and all women weren’t not allowed to vote/have
no right to vote.
o 1917 this changed for men, 1919, women got the right to vote
o End of 19th century -> Abraham Kuyper figured out that if ordinary people worked
together, they had much more power. (dedicated newspaper, political party, schools,
and university for protestants)
o Later more groups arose this was called segregation (Division of Dutch society into
groups with their own political or religious conviction: each group had their own
newspaper and own associations)
o Segregation -> huge impact on society (every group got groceries at stores from their
own group)
o The first feminist wave (movement during the period 1880-1920 which
predominantly fought for universal suffrage for women) arose (Wilhemina Drucker
and Aletta Jacobs)
o After 1919 women got more rights (some remained housewives)
The Netherlands during the first world war
o Decision to introduce universal suffrage -> during first world war 1914-1918
(Netherlands were neutral)
o We were affected though -> 200000 men and 17000 horses sent to border
o War erupted and Belgians fled to the neutral Netherlands (after a short time even a
million)
o December 1914, most people got back
o Eve of the first world war -> world economy had been flourishing
o Netherlands still traded and became very important -> tried to stay friends with all
trading partners (Neutrality policy)
o 1917 -> German submarines torpedoed a Dutch merchant ship without warning ->
raw materials and export were declined -> very few food imports -> major food
shortages -> prices rose, and the black market and smuggling became appealing
, The global economic crisis:
o Netherlands benefited economically due to WWI (Shell, Unilever and agriculture
made huge profits)
o 1929, New York -> Wall street crash -> global economic crisis (especially Germany)
-> businesses went bust and unemployment rose
o Colijn kept the golden standard high -> Dutch products were too expensive for
countries who did lower the value of their currency -> economic crisis lasted longer
o After the 1930s we were doing well, and unemployment dropped
o In May 1940 the Nazi’s invaded the Netherlands and we didn’t escape the war this
time
6.3, Working together to rebuild the country:
Between 1946 and 1970 Dutch people emigrated to countries such as Canada, the USA,
Australia, and New Zealand
Putting our shoulder to the wheel together:
o After five year of being occupied Germans destroyed bridges, railways, ports, carried
off machines, trains, and stocks.
o Loads of people got homeless
o Liberation 1945 -> reconstruction started (hard due to shortage of money/food/fuel)
o We had to prevent inflation from happening -> many products remained rationed
until 1949, currency reform and money supply increased enormously (people had to
trade their old bank notes for new ones -> checked if they weren’t earned by black
trade)
o Wages were low -> a cooperation harmony model emerged (cooperation and
agreements on wages and working conditions between employers, employees, and
the government during the 1950s. The aim was to prevent labour conflicts)
o After years of hard work, the Netherlands were reconstructed again
America, exemplary nation
o Tension between the United States and Soviet Union (after WWII) -> Cold war ->
Netherlands became capitalist (western countries, USA) -> USA gave us Marshall aid
from 1948 (Money, bags of grain, goods, machines, and financial loans to spend in
the USA) -> Dutch economy recovered (grew circa. 5% per year)
o After the war we were really interested in the USA (Cars, roads up to 8 lanes etc.)
-> entrepreneurs/trade unionists went to the USA
o After 1953 wages started to rise -> ordinary people could suddenly afford washing
machines and cleaners -> we became Americanized ((partly) adopting the American
culture and lifestyle) -> quickly after we turned inti a consumer society (From the late
1950s, virtually all people in society spend a large part of their income on luxury
goods)
The welfare state
o During the war major Dutch people went to Germany to discuss what would happen
after the liberation
Netherlands in the 20th century
6.1, Introduction
o New youth cultures are emerging all the time
o This chapter is about the history of the Netherlands from 1900 onwards
1900-1950 (Age of World wars), 1950-Now (age of television and computers)
6.2, The neutrality of the Netherlands
Hendrik Colijn was prime minister of the Netherlands from 1933 to 1939. In 1935, he held a
radio speech about the economic crisis in the Netherlands. This was in the time of the
Second world war.
A segregated society
o Around 1900, over a third of men and all women weren’t not allowed to vote/have
no right to vote.
o 1917 this changed for men, 1919, women got the right to vote
o End of 19th century -> Abraham Kuyper figured out that if ordinary people worked
together, they had much more power. (dedicated newspaper, political party, schools,
and university for protestants)
o Later more groups arose this was called segregation (Division of Dutch society into
groups with their own political or religious conviction: each group had their own
newspaper and own associations)
o Segregation -> huge impact on society (every group got groceries at stores from their
own group)
o The first feminist wave (movement during the period 1880-1920 which
predominantly fought for universal suffrage for women) arose (Wilhemina Drucker
and Aletta Jacobs)
o After 1919 women got more rights (some remained housewives)
The Netherlands during the first world war
o Decision to introduce universal suffrage -> during first world war 1914-1918
(Netherlands were neutral)
o We were affected though -> 200000 men and 17000 horses sent to border
o War erupted and Belgians fled to the neutral Netherlands (after a short time even a
million)
o December 1914, most people got back
o Eve of the first world war -> world economy had been flourishing
o Netherlands still traded and became very important -> tried to stay friends with all
trading partners (Neutrality policy)
o 1917 -> German submarines torpedoed a Dutch merchant ship without warning ->
raw materials and export were declined -> very few food imports -> major food
shortages -> prices rose, and the black market and smuggling became appealing
, The global economic crisis:
o Netherlands benefited economically due to WWI (Shell, Unilever and agriculture
made huge profits)
o 1929, New York -> Wall street crash -> global economic crisis (especially Germany)
-> businesses went bust and unemployment rose
o Colijn kept the golden standard high -> Dutch products were too expensive for
countries who did lower the value of their currency -> economic crisis lasted longer
o After the 1930s we were doing well, and unemployment dropped
o In May 1940 the Nazi’s invaded the Netherlands and we didn’t escape the war this
time
6.3, Working together to rebuild the country:
Between 1946 and 1970 Dutch people emigrated to countries such as Canada, the USA,
Australia, and New Zealand
Putting our shoulder to the wheel together:
o After five year of being occupied Germans destroyed bridges, railways, ports, carried
off machines, trains, and stocks.
o Loads of people got homeless
o Liberation 1945 -> reconstruction started (hard due to shortage of money/food/fuel)
o We had to prevent inflation from happening -> many products remained rationed
until 1949, currency reform and money supply increased enormously (people had to
trade their old bank notes for new ones -> checked if they weren’t earned by black
trade)
o Wages were low -> a cooperation harmony model emerged (cooperation and
agreements on wages and working conditions between employers, employees, and
the government during the 1950s. The aim was to prevent labour conflicts)
o After years of hard work, the Netherlands were reconstructed again
America, exemplary nation
o Tension between the United States and Soviet Union (after WWII) -> Cold war ->
Netherlands became capitalist (western countries, USA) -> USA gave us Marshall aid
from 1948 (Money, bags of grain, goods, machines, and financial loans to spend in
the USA) -> Dutch economy recovered (grew circa. 5% per year)
o After the war we were really interested in the USA (Cars, roads up to 8 lanes etc.)
-> entrepreneurs/trade unionists went to the USA
o After 1953 wages started to rise -> ordinary people could suddenly afford washing
machines and cleaners -> we became Americanized ((partly) adopting the American
culture and lifestyle) -> quickly after we turned inti a consumer society (From the late
1950s, virtually all people in society spend a large part of their income on luxury
goods)
The welfare state
o During the war major Dutch people went to Germany to discuss what would happen
after the liberation
