Beyond pillarization. A political-economic perspective on the Protestant worker's association Patrimonium, 1890-1911

Abstract

The Protestant Dutch Workers’ Union Patrimonium is traditionally described from an ideological point of view. Also, historiography has focused on its relationship with other Protestant organizations, such as the Anti-Revolutionary Party (ARP). Moreover, it has been characterized as a failed trade union; a precursor to later successful Christian trade unions. This historiographical tradition mirrors that of the Protestant-Christian movement in general, which is strongly influenced by the concept of ‘pillarization’. However, this concept is starkly problematic and inhibits at least three conceptual problems. To move beyond these problems, this thesis applies a political-economic concept to the history of Patrimonium: corporativism. This alternative analysis of Patrimonium produced the conclusions that characterizing the association as a failed trade union pays no respect to its distinctive nature as a corporativist organization. Moreover, there was recurrent struggle between Patrimonium and the ARP, as well as between its workers and patrons. Lastly, Patrimonium’s case demonstrated that Protestant-Christian social ideology was for from a uniform set of ideas. All these conclusions will in turn have several implications for the concept of pillarization.