| dc.description.abstract | The purpose of this thesis is to determine what the views of the NGO ‘Europese Beweging Nederland’ (EBN) were on European integration and the Dutch policy on this topic during the years 1948 – 1954. By studying three case studies (i.e. the establishment of the Council of Europe, the creation of the European Coal and Steel Community, and the process towards the European Defence Community), this thesis primarily wants to investigate what EBN did to widen its views and how this was perceived by themselves and by policy-makers. These focus-points will result in a valuable and fresh perspective on the process of European integration in the mentioned period because existing historiography has mainly focussed on the role of international developments, Dutch party-politics, and economic motives. It will also fit into the existing historiography on the role of NGO’s in the history of international relations.
This thesis is mainly based on primary sources of the EBN-archive in the Dutch National Archive in The Hague and on meeting minutes of the Dutch minister council. The study of EBN-publications, meeting minutes of the board, communication between EBN and policy-makers and memoirs has resulted in the conclusion that EBN perceived its own role as guiding and crucial in the mentioned period because it continuously pressed policy-makers and provided them with fresh ideas and new perspectives on European integration. The fact that actual Dutch foreign policy did not deviate much from EBN’s proposals strengthened its belief in the importance of its actions and served as legitimisation for its existence. Therefore, this thesis argues that even though the influence of international developments and national party politics on Dutch European integration policy are undeniable, the EBN and the effects of its activities should not be overlooked either, which is currently the case in historiography. | |
