Welfare Chauvinism. A critical history of the universal Dutch welfare state

Abstract

The postwar history of the development of the Dutch welfare state has intertwined with the postwar history of (labor) migration. The question of letting 'strangers' join the national welfare system has therefore become an interesting, but so far unexplored topic of Dutch political debate. In the light of the current rise of new rightist parties and their welfare chauvinist discourse, it is interesting to see how inclusion and exclusion of non-citizens has been politically discussed in the past. What exclusive discourses have preceded the current welfare chauvinism? And what are the instruments and institutions that those political discourses refer/relate to? In this thesis, a critical history of the universal character of the Dutch welfare state has been written down. From both theoretical and historical perspective, the thesis argues that restricting universality remains a controversial topic at all times. From a more policy-related perspective, in light of its current crisis, it is argued that the universal Dutch welfare state is in need a critical attitude that is more than inaccurately chauvinistic. The exploration of a more nuanced form of welfare chauvinism, however, could contribute in the complicated but inevitable discussion about the future of the universal Dutch welfare state system.