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{{Infobox country|demonym=Dutch <br> Nederlander|native_name=''Nederland''|conventional_long_name=The Netherlands|image_flag=Flag of the Netherlands.svg|image_map=File:Locator Netherlands 1965.png|established_event1=Creation of the [[Habsburg Netherlands]]|established_date1=1482|established_event2=Independence of the Dutch Republic|established_date2=1588|map_width=250px|established_event3=[[Anglo-Dutch Union]]|established_date3=1692–1712|established_event4=Monarchy established|established_date4=1814|capital=Amsterdam|largest_city=Amsterdam|government_type=Unitary parliamentary democracy|official_languages=[[Dutch language|Dutch]]|regional_languages=Brabantish <br> Zeelandic <br> Frisian <br> Friso-Saxon|admin_center=The Hague}} |
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{{Nation |
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|common_name=The Netherlands |
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|full_name=Kingdom of the Netherlands |
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|local_name=Nederland |
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|lifespan= |
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|flag=Flag of the Netherlands.svg |
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|map=Locator_Netherland.png |
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|established= '''Treaty of Vienna''' (1814) |
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|motto= |
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|capital= The Hague |
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Amsterdam |
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|largest_city= Amsterdam |
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|population= |
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|government_type= Constitutional Monarchy |
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|area= |
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|languages= {{unbulleted_list | Dutch (Official) | West Frisian | Flemish| English}} |
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|currency=Gulden |
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|Population=25,313,981}} |
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The '''Netherlands''' (Dutch: ''Nederland)'', officially the [[Kingdom of the Netherlands]] is a country primarily located in Western Europe with numerous small overseas territories. The European Netherlands consists of 15 provinces, bordering the West German confederation to the east, France to the south, and the North Sea to the northwest, maritime borders in the North Sea with those countries and the United Kingdom. The country's official language is Dutch, with West Frisian as a secondary official language in the province of Friesland, and English and Papiamento as secondary official languages in the Caribbean Netherlands. Dutch Low Saxon, Flemish and Limburgish are recognized regional languages (spoken in the east, south and southeast respectively). The Netherlands is the home to the largest population of East Asians in all of Europe which is a result of the east indies crisis. After the war was over nearly 2 million refugees entered the Netherlands reshaping the country physically and culturally. In the modern-day they have been integrated and contributed to Dutch society, making Dutch society and culture a unique one. Its a constituent country within the larger Kingdom of the Netherlands |
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The '''Netherlands'''{{ref|a}} ([[Dutch language|Dutch]]: ''Nederland'') is a constitutional monarchy located in northwestern Europe which borders [[France]] to the south and [[Rhineland|the Rhineland]] to the east, also sharing a maritime border with the [[United Kingdom]] in the southwest. Its name is not to be confused with the term 'Kingdom of the Netherlands', which since the late 20th century has been used to collectively refer to the European country and its overseas territories. |
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The four largest cities in the Netherlands are Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Antwerp. Amsterdam is the country's most populous city and nominal capital. The Hague holds the seat of the States General, Cabinet and Supreme Court. The Port of Rotterdam is the busiest seaport in Europe, while the port of Antwerp holds the title of second busiest port in Europe, Rotterdam is the largest seaport outside of Asia, however according to some Antwerp and Rotterdam can be seen as one port making it the largest port in the world. |
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In 1588, an independent Dutch republic seceded from the Habsburg Netherlands. Dominated by stadtholders of the Nassau dynasty, the country was occupied by the Augustine Republic until 1814, when it was established as a sovereign monarchy with [[William I of the Netherlands]] as king. The Dutch Empire continuously declined over the 19th century, leadings to the Tulips Uprising of 1910. In the post-[[Great War]] era, the country dealt with massive social and political unrest and colonial insurgencies, the most notable being the [[East Indies Crisis]]. In the late 20th century, the country entered into an economic union with the Rhineland and Hannover. |
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The Netherlands literally means ''"lower countries"'' in reference to its low elevation and flat topography, with only about 57% of its land exceeding 1 meter (3ft 3 in) above sea level, and nearly 26% falling below sea level. Most of the areas below sea level, known as polders, are the result of land reclamation that began in the 14th century. Colloquially, the Netherlands is occasionally referred to by the pars ''pro toto Holland''. With a population of 26.4 million people, all living within a total area of roughly (insert square kilometers) —of which the land area is (insert number) square kilometers —the Netherlands is the 10th most densely populated country in the world and the 2nd most densely populated country in Europe, with a density of (insert people per square km). Nevertheless, it is one of the world's largest exporters of agricultural products (in terms of value), owing to its fertile soil, mild climate, intensive agriculture, and strong agriculture-technology sector. |
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==History== |
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The Netherlands has been a parliamentary constitutional monarchy with a unitary structure since 1848. The country has a tradition of pillarisation and a long record of social tolerance, having legalised abortion, prostitution and human euthanasia, along with maintaining a liberal drug policy. The Netherlands abolished the death penalty in Civil Law in 1870, though it was not completely removed until a new constitution was approved in 1983. The Netherlands allowed women's suffrage in 1919, before becoming the world's first country to legalise same-sex marriage in 1983. Its mixed-market advanced economy has one of the highest levels of per capita income in the world. The Netherlands from its inception and well into the modern day is known as a country of freedom where the press is respected, where religions are tolerated and diversity is embraced. This is most notable in the large influx of immigrants from the Dutch East Indies in the 1970s that reshaped the country her demographic forever. The country is sometimes seen as the least European country due its diversity and strange customs compared to the norm. Despite all that nobody can deny that the Netherlands stands at the center of a complex network of cultural, economic & political sphere that has and to this day is influential far beyond what its size would suggest. Despite its small stature it is thus to this day seen as one of the greater nations and even the world being a leader in many fields and ready for the future. |
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{{Main|History of the Netherlands}} |
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==Government and Politics== |
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{{Infobox government|government_name=Government of the Netherlands|government_form=Unitary parliamentary monarchy}} |
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The Netherlands is a constitutional monarchy while also being that of a unitary parliamentary state with a strong executive branch. In combination with it being what some might call a “'''Bureaucratic democracy.'''” It fuses both Dutch republican ideals as well as pragmatism in how a small but densely populated nation is to be run. |
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The office of the prime minister has grown significantly in power since 1960 this is principally due to the depression (1974 - 2000). Due to a myriad of social issues, the refugee crisis the housing crisis, the eastern troubles, the Kandyan troubles, and the Burgher uprising. Combined with a harsh period for the Netherlands economically, culturally and socially showed that the former polder model of decision-making was too slow. Over time due to the various office holder the prime minister has grown in power, partly through actual expansion of power, or powers being taken from the king and given to the office of the prime minister. Yet also due to the precedent set making the office her powers range from its official ability to use the military within the kingdom or outside without parliament her approval for 190 days, which is a law, to be the only person to stand as the king stands during the annual budget review. |
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== Etymology == |
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The Netherlands' turbulent history and shifts of power resulted in exceptionally many and widely varying names in different languages. There is diversity even within languages. In English, the Netherlands is also called Holland or (part of) the Low Countries, whereas the term ''"Dutch"'' is used as the demonym and adjectival form. |
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The executive power is formed by the prime minister and the council of ministers, the ministers are chosen by the coalition government, through consent. The cabinet usually consists of 12 ministers and secretaries and three representatives from the constituent states. This makes the Netherlands cabinet an interesting mishmash of various interests as since 1983 there has not been a single dominating party in governance and coalitions have become the norm. |
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=== The Netherlands and the Low Countries === |
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The region called the Low Countries (Largely the Netherlands yet the Walloon region of France) and the Country of the Netherlands, have the same toponymy. Place names with ''Neder'', ''Nieder'', ''Nedre'', ''Nether'', ''Lage(r)'' or ''Low(er)'' (in Germanic languages) and ''Bas'' or ''Inferior'' (in Romance languages) are in use in low-lying places all over Europe. They are sometimes used in a deictic relation to a higher ground that consecutively is indicated as ''Super(ior)'', ''Up(per)'', ''Op(per)'', ''Ober'', ''Boven'', ''High'', ''Haut'' or ''Hoch''. In the case of the Low Countries / Netherlands the geographical location of the ''lower'' region has been more or less downstream and near the sea. The geographical location of the upper region, however, changed tremendously over time, depending on the location of the economic and military power governing the Low Countries area. The Romans made a distinction between the Roman provinces of downstream Germania Inferior (nowadays part of Belgium and the Netherlands) and upstream Germania Superior (nowadays part of Germany). The designation 'Low' to refer to the region returns again in the 10th century Duchy of Lower Lorraine, that covered much of the Low Countries. But this time the corresponding ''Upper'' region is Upper Lorraine, in nowadays Northern France. |
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The cabinet is responsible to the bicameral parliament, the States General, which also has legislative powers. The 150 members of the House of Representatives, the lower house, are elected in direct elections on the basis of party-list proportional representation. These are held every four years, or sooner in case, the cabinet falls (for example: when one of the chambers carries a motion of no confidence, the cabinet offers its resignation to the monarch). The States-Provincial are directly elected every four years as well. The members of the provincial assemblies elect the 75 members of the Senate, the upper house, which has the power to reject laws, but not proposes or amend them. Both houses send members to the Benelux Parliament, a consultative council |
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The Dukes of Burgundy, who ruled from their residence in the Low Countries in the 15th century, used the term ''les pays de par deçà'' ("the lands over here") for the Low Countries, as opposed to ''les pays de par delà'' ("the lands over there") for their original homeland: Burgundy in present-day east-central France. Under Habsburg rule, ''Les pays de par deçà'' developed in ''pays d'embas'' ("lands down-here"), a deictic expression in relation to other Habsburg possessions like Hungary and Austria. This was translated as ''Neder-landen'' in contemporary Dutch official documents. From a regional point of view, ''Niderlant'' was also the area between the Meuse and the lower Rhine in the late Middle Ages. The area known as ''Oberland'' (High country) was in this deictic context considered to begin approximately at the nearby higher located Cologne. |
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=== Political culture & parties === |
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From the mid-sixteenth century on, the "Low Countries" and the "Netherlands" lost their original deictic meaning. They were probably the most commonly used names, besides Flanders, a ''pars pro toto'' for the Low Countries, especially in Romance language-speaking Europe. The Eighty Years' War (1568–1648) divided the Low Countries into an independent northern Dutch Republic (or Latinised ''Belgica Foederata'', "Federated Netherlands", the precursor state of the Netherlands) and a Spanish controlled Southern Netherlands (Latinised ''Belgica Regia'', "Royal Netherlands", the precursor state of Belgium). The Low Countries today is a designation that includes the countries of the Netherlands and parts of France, although in most Romance languages, the term "Low Countries" is used as the name for the Netherlands specifically. |
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=== Administrative divisions === |
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The Netherlands is also referred to as Holland in various languages, including English. The region of Holland proper consisted of current Holland province and large parts of Utrecht, currently provinces of the Netherlands. Following the decline of the Duchy of Brabant and the County of Flanders, Holland became the most economically and politically important county in the Low Countries region. The emphasis on Holland during the formation of the Dutch Republic, the Eighty Years' War, and the Anglo-Dutch Wars in the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries, made Holland serve as a ''pars pro toto'' for the entire country, which is now considered informal or incorrect. Nonetheless, the name "Holland" is still widely used for the Netherlands national football team, including in the Netherlands, and the Dutch government's international websites for tourism and trade are "holland.com" and "hollandtradeandinvest.com". In 2020, however, the Dutch government announced that it would only communicate and advertise under the name "the Netherlands" in the future. |
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=== Foreign relations === |
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The term Dutch is used as the demonymic and adjectival form of the Netherlands in the English language. The origins of the word go back to Proto-Germanic ''*þiudiskaz'', Latinised into Theodiscus, meaning "popular" or "of the people"; akin to Old Dutch ''Dietsch'', Old High German ''duitsch'', and Old English ''þeodisc'', all meaning "(of) the common (Germanic) people". At first, the English language used (the contemporary form of) Dutch to refer to any or all speakers of West Germanic languages (e.g. the Dutch, the Frisians, and the Germans). Gradually its meaning shifted to the West Germanic people they had most contact with, because of their geographical proximity and for the rivalry in trade and overseas territories. The derivative of the Proto-Germanic word ''*þiudiskaz'' in modern Dutch, ''Diets'', can be found in Dutch literature as a poetic name for the Dutch people or language, but is considered very archaic. Although it had a short resurgence after World War II to avoid the reference to Germany. It is still used in the expression "diets maken" – to put it straight to him/her (as in a threat) or, more neutral, to make it clear, understandable, explain, say in the people's language (cf. the Vulgate (Bible not in Greek or Hebrew, but Latin; the folks' language) in meaning vulgar, though not in a pejorative sense). |
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=== Military === |
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The Netherlands has one of the oldest standing armies in Europe; it was first established as such by Maurice of Nassau in the late 1500s. It has seen service throughout the Dutch empire, helping to expand, defend and hold it, as well as fighting in many large conflicts from the Russo-Corean war, the Great war the east indies crisis and the Batavian unrests, the Kandyan insurrection and more recently the Nieuw Batavian crisis. Throughout its existence, the military of the Netherlands has gained a reputation for its ability to conduct war on a budget, its ability to achieve objectives and its sheer ferocity when fighting, as shown in the great war where the Krijgsmacht held the Rhine despite heavy casualties and losing the south and eventually liberating the nation again and pushing all the way into France defeating the enemies of the Netherlands. |
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The military is composed of four branches, all of which carry the prefix Koninklijke (Royal): |
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== History == |
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(Post 1900s history WIP) |
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* Koninklijke Marine (KM), the Royal Netherlands Navy, including the Naval Air Service and Marine Corps; |
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Grote Depressie |
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* Koninklijke Landmacht (KL), the Royal Netherlands Army; |
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* Koninklijke Luchtmacht (KLu), the Royal Netherlands Air Force; |
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* Koninklijke Marechaussee (KMar), the Royal Marechaussee (Military Police), tasks include military police and border control. |
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Within the armed forces (Krijgsmacht) almost all branches and units are open to both genders, with the exceptions of the following: |
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A period of turbulence following the east indies crisis lasting from 1976 to 2001 |
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* Submarine service |
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After the East Indies crisis and the rapid and sudden influx of nearly 2 million Indo’s, Chinese, and Malayans, combined with the loss of the colony, the death that has been caused to it, and the damage that had been done to the youth of the nation and then eventually it all being for nothing, this resulted in a large so-called great national depression for the Netherlands. This period lasting from 1976 until 2001 could best be described as a period of great, social, economic, cultural, and even physical change for the Netherlands, it was a period of reform, of descent, of the political instability of even in some cases armed conflict yet it was a period in which the Netherlands and what it meant to be Dutch was redefined. It was a period that for many looking back on it while it was far from stable it was a period that was in some cases needed to reshape a nation so lost of purpose and give it new life. |
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* Korps Speciale Stoot Troepen |
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This is for a variety of reasons, be the safety of the females in service to the nature of the units themselves. |
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Will see a rewrite: |
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The Krijgsmacht in total employs more than 180,000 personnel with 1,3 million reservists, maintaining one of the largest and most capable militaries in Europe. Its navy is considered one of the largest in Europe, this, as well as its military power in general, is a result of its geography, with the need to defend far flung places in Asia and Oceania the need to be a mobile flexible force, as well as the need for defence and a credible deterrence has forced the Netherlands to pay more to the military than many of its citizens actually want. |
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Political opposition backlash WIP |
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==Notes== |
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The Indo question |
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#{{note|a}} The country may be referred to in Dutch, English, and other languages by a variety of names including the terms the Low Countries, Holland, and Belgica. |
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The interesting this I think is politics and the political implications. You will probably see a push back as you said the rural and more "forgotten" east provinces to immigrants likely creating a right-wing anti-immigration, anti-interventionist, and maybe federation-skeptic (read doesn't like the KotNL federation) voting bloc and in contrast on the other side a pro-federation, a cosmopolitan voting bloc made up of a coalition of former vets and assimilated refugees. |
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Additionally, another group that might form is a young social movement maybe up of 2nd generation immigrants who are big into social-liberalism, anti-racism, and college activism. |
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With the east indies crisis, or the “Indiesche oorlog” dwindling down in 1976, the Netherlands who had fought for 16 years, send 3.5 million men to fight there, has lost over half a million of its own young men, found itself in a turbulent position, while the Haverman goverment won the reelection of 1978, they had lost seats. They still held a majority but their handling of the evacuation and the fact that the war still took away many conscripts that could not vote lost them 6 seats, as well as due to the economic situation becoming rapidly. Thus the Netherlands while politically stable enough, was economically unstable which combined with the scaling down of the military and people losing jobs in related war industries. Another major issue was of course the 2,190,102 Chinese, Malayan and Eurasian refugees that had come to the nation. |
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Housing was provided but it was haphazard and sometimes straight-up not sufficient, the use of army barracks, empty houses, large camps all were used to house this unprecedented number of people. There was a major issue in that legally all of these people were Dutch citizens and could vote thus they could not be sent back and thus a long-term permanent solution had to be found. This was however harder than initially suspected, originally plans were thrown around to expand some cities in the Eastern provinces a bit to house them and that was it. Yet after a commission had been created it became clear that such an action was not sustainable. In fact, it was clear that the current Dutch economy simply put was not sustainable nor was the current construction culture, urban planning culture, and even land usage, all were found to be not sustainable in a timeframe of 40 years. It was clear something needed to change and for that reason, another commission was created by the Haverman cabinet in 1979. This commission had a simple goal, find a long-term solution to the Netherlands her current problem of housing people and how to integrate it properly with a long-term sustainable economy & housing policy. |
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Yet before the plan was even done, political trouble started to arise in the provinces of Drenthe, Overijssel, and Gelderland. This was as a journalist uncovered the initially thrown around ideas, of expanding the cities in those provinces at the expense of the Farmers. This seemed to lit a fuse on a tinderbox. This had been coming with hindsight for some time, as those farmers and townspeople were opposite to those in Holland that supported the refugees, as they, in fact, saw it as reverse colonialization and a start of the end of the Dutch identity. While it was not more than some resentment in those three provinces on January 7th, 1980 it became apparent just how serious those people thought it was. |
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Siege of Lemele |
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The start of the great change and great troubles |
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Lemelle was a small town in Overijssel and had nothing of note before the siege, yet on the 7th of January after weeks of political agitations and seemingly being ignored farmers, local people and conservatives made a move unthought of just a week prior. During a convention in the small sleepy town, which was rumored to be turned into a so-called “Indo hub” rumors were later found to be untrue but it did not matter. These people numbering some 1200 total many of them farmers who feared their land to be taken away, stormed the town because it was in fact a weapons dump for the Landmacht. They stormed the town overwhelmed the small security garrison and then, in fact, took it hostage, these members were extremists by all accounts yet their actions signified something of that time, a lack of communication between the government and the people. |
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What followed was that the extremist known as the “Nederlandse Volks Bescherming” or NVB, fortified the town and ransomed the 450 or so people living in it. Yet the problem was that they were dealing with the government and a security apparatus that came out of a brutal conflict and had long since lost any humanity, according to journalists at least. All of the NVB attempts to negotiate failed, yet their cause gained a mass following as many did not agree with the cosmopolitan view of many of those in Holland, the veterans, and seemingly the goverment. |
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The NVB tried to negotiate yet failed at every turn and by the 10th of January, the entire town was surrounded by the Marchausee, armed to the teeth with tanks, armored vehicles, and all their soldiers fully equipped as those one could see in the news from the East Indies Crisis. By the 12th of January, it was quite clear that the government was not going to negotiate and that the Marchausee was going to end it. |
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Battle of Lemele |
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On the 13th of January 1980, the Marchausee stormed the town and what followed was a short but brutal purge in some way. the Marchaussee having seen combat in the East Indies Crisis, had many combat veterans in its service during the besieging, veterans that were used to killing and only killing. Thus when the siege ended 370 people were dead and 900 were arrested, of which 400 were in critical conditions. This sends a shockwave through the Netherlands made it clear that reform would be needed, but also that some form of open discussion between all parties involved was needed if the Netherlands was to survive this situation they found themselves in. |
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The talks of 1980 |
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Through 1980 the year was marked with a worsening economic situation yet for the first time open talks between all parties involved on what the future of the Netherlands would mean. These talks led everybody talked and while the NVB continued in erratic actions sometimes hostages and strikes, they never had the steam again that they first enjoyed. These talks lasting a year and eventually, through long talks a compromise was reached a consent would be eventually be seen as the most important thing in modern Dutch history. |
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De Compromis van 1980 |
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De Compromis van 1980 was a detailed plan presented by the Haverman government to the house of parliament and to the people, it detailed the draining of the Zuiderzee, Waddenzee, the rebuilding and restructuring of the Dutch housing construction policy, redevelopment of infrastructure the economy, and all other things all with the aim of making it long term sustainable. |
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This would eventually see cities redeveloped, agriculture redeveloped, the Dutch skyline changing forever, and the rise of the new cities and new urban area’s known for their high rises, carless almost layouts, public transport clean energy, and the image of an almost never-ending skyline in some areas of the nation and it would mark the beginning of the changing of Dutch culture forever. |
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Esteblishment of de Lands ontwikkelings commisie |
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== Geography == |
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According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, the European Netherlands has a total area of (insert number) km<sup>2</sup>, including water bodies; and a land area of (insert numbers) km<sup>2</sup>.The Caribbean Netherlands has a total area of 328 km<sup>2</sup> (127 sq mi) It lies between latitudes 50° and 54° N, and longitudes 3° and 8° E. |
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The European Netherlands is geographically very low relative to sea level and is a mostly flat country, with roughly 31% of its area and 39% of its population located below sea level and only about 50% of its land exceeding one meter above sea level. The European mainland is for the most part flat, with the exception of foothills in the far southeast that stretch to a height of no more than 321 meters; additionally there are some low hill ranges in the central region of the country. Most regions below sea level are man-made, caused by peat extraction or achieved through land reclamation. Since the late 16th century, through elaborate drainage systems that include dikes, canals and pumping stations, large areas of coastal land were reclaimed from the sea (known as polders). Today nearly 23% of the country's land area is reclaimed from the sea and from lakes. |
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Much of the country was originally formed by the estuaries of three large European rivers: the Rhine (''Rijn''), the Meuse (''Maas'') and the Scheldt (''Schelde''), as well as their tributaries. These three rivers create the largest river delta in the country which also creates the whole south-western geographic region of the Netherlands, the Rhine-Meuse-Scheldt delta. The European Netherlands is divided into north and south by the Rhine, the Waal, its main tributary branch, and the Meuse. In the past, these rivers functioned as a natural barrier between fiefdoms and have historically created a cultural divide, this is evident in some phonetic traits that are recognizable on either side of what the Dutch call their "Great Rivers" (''de Grote Rivieren''). Another significant branch of the Rhine, the IJssel river, discharges into Lake IJssel, the former Zuiderzee ('southern sea'). Just like the previous, this river forms a linguistic divide: people to the northeast of this river speak Dutch Low Saxon dialects (except for the province of Friesland, which has its own language). |
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== Government and politics == |
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The Netherlands has been a constitutional monarchy since 1815, and due to the efforts of '''Johan Rudolph Thorbecke''' became a parliamentary democracy in 1848. The Netherlands is described as a consociational state. Dutch politics and governance are characterized by an effort to achieve broad consensus on important issues, within both the political community and society as a whole. On top of that, the Netherlands itself is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands which is often described as a unique state. |
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The monarch is the head of state, Constitutionally, the position is equipped with limited powers. By law, the monarch has the right to be periodically briefed and consulted on government affairs. Depending on the personalities and relationships of the monarch and the ministers, the monarch might have influence beyond the power granted by the Constitution of the Netherlands. The majority of said influence comes from the overall popular status the monarchy holds within Dutch society. |
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The executive power is formed by the Council of Ministers, the deliberative organ of the Dutch cabinet. The cabinet usually consists of 13 to 16 ministers and a varying number of state secretaries including 3 ministers each from the other constituent countries. The head of government is the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of the Netherlands,, who often is the leader of the largest party of the coalition. The Prime Minister is a primus inter pares, with no explicit powers beyond those of the other ministers with some exceptions. The Prime Minister had been the leader of the largest party of the governing coalition continuously since 1973. Due to a constitutional amendment, the prime minister is the person with executive authority over the use of military force for a period of 190 days. In relation to the kingdom of the Netherlands and her other two countries, each of the two other constituent countries sends its ministers to the Netherlands her council of ministers which in turn together forms the executive body of the Netherlands. |
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The cabinet is responsible for the bicameral parliament, which also has legislative powers. The 150 members of the House of Representatives, the lower house, are elected in direct elections on the basis of party-list proportional representation. These are held every four years, or sooner in case the cabinet falls (for example: when one of the chambers carries a motion of no confidence, the cabinet offers its resignation to the monarch). The States-Provincial are directly elected every four years as well. The members of the provincial assemblies elect the 75 members of the Senate, the upper house, which has the power to reject laws, but not proposes or amend them. Both houses send members to the OVL Parliament, a consultative council. |
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=== Political culture === |
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=== Structure of the Kingdom === |
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Structure of the Kingdom of the Netherlands circa 1990: |
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The kingdom of the Netherlands (Dutch: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden;) commonly known as the Netherlands, or Dutch union, is a sovereign state and constitutional monarchy with territories in Europe, Oceania, and Southeast Asia and with several cities scattered around Asia & Africa and small island territories scattered around the world. While the majority of its land area is in Asia the largest and most densely populated part of the kingdom is in Europe, in the Netherlands proper as it is called. |
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The three constituent countries of the Kingdom—The Netherlands, Nieuw Batavia, and Ceylon. They participate on a basis of equality as partners in the Kingdom, while the smaller cities and islands operate either as counties within constituent countries of the Kingdom or are special districts, this may vary. Due to the wide diversity of the population, land area economic power, and military power, the kingdom has developed institutions that are a blend of federal confederation methods of governance being a sui generis. |
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Confederation in the sense that the constituent countries have their parliament and limited powers, federal due to a common foreign policy military police, and economic policy. From a practical perspective within the Kingdom, the Netherlands is the premier source of tax revue, economic power, military force, and governance. This often in practice leaves the Netherlands to decide the common policies of the Kingdom. |
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Despite this structures are in place such as the Raad der Staaten, which consists of the elected leaders of the three constituent countries and is presided over by the monarch. This body dictates common foreign policy and economic policy, however, due to the balance of power the Dutch side often has a stronger voice. However, all members of the kingdom have an equal say in policy and have a great deal of domestic autonomy with their parliaments and constituents. This is a unique structure that some say is only possible due to modern technologies and a shared history and economic & military dependency upon each other. |
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The vast majority of the nation’s land area is located in Oceania in Nieuw Batavia while the Netherlands is the economic and population juggernaut of the Kingdom, with Ceylon being second. There are several city enclaves around the world that have special autonomous status and are equal to the constituent countries in most factors. The total population of the Kingdom is roughly around 58 million. |
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=== Administrative divisions === |
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=== Foreign relations === |
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=== Military === |
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==See also== |
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{{Nations of the World}} |
{{Nations of the World}} |
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Latest revision as of 13:14, 17 March 2023
The Netherlands Nederland | |
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 Flag | |
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| Capital and largest city | Amsterdam |
| Administrative center | The Hague |
| Official languages | Dutch |
| Recognised regional languages | Brabantish Zeelandic Frisian Friso-Saxon |
| Demonym | Dutch Nederlander |
| Government | Unitary parliamentary democracy |
| Establishment | |
• Creation of the Habsburg Netherlands | 1482 |
• Independence of the Dutch Republic | 1588 |
| 1692–1712 | |
• Monarchy established | 1814 |
The Netherlands[1] (Dutch: Nederland) is a constitutional monarchy located in northwestern Europe which borders France to the south and the Rhineland to the east, also sharing a maritime border with the United Kingdom in the southwest. Its name is not to be confused with the term 'Kingdom of the Netherlands', which since the late 20th century has been used to collectively refer to the European country and its overseas territories.
In 1588, an independent Dutch republic seceded from the Habsburg Netherlands. Dominated by stadtholders of the Nassau dynasty, the country was occupied by the Augustine Republic until 1814, when it was established as a sovereign monarchy with William I of the Netherlands as king. The Dutch Empire continuously declined over the 19th century, leadings to the Tulips Uprising of 1910. In the post-Great War era, the country dealt with massive social and political unrest and colonial insurgencies, the most notable being the East Indies Crisis. In the late 20th century, the country entered into an economic union with the Rhineland and Hannover.
History
Government and Politics
| Unitary parliamentary monarchy |
The Netherlands is a constitutional monarchy while also being that of a unitary parliamentary state with a strong executive branch. In combination with it being what some might call a “Bureaucratic democracy.” It fuses both Dutch republican ideals as well as pragmatism in how a small but densely populated nation is to be run.
The office of the prime minister has grown significantly in power since 1960 this is principally due to the depression (1974 - 2000). Due to a myriad of social issues, the refugee crisis the housing crisis, the eastern troubles, the Kandyan troubles, and the Burgher uprising. Combined with a harsh period for the Netherlands economically, culturally and socially showed that the former polder model of decision-making was too slow. Over time due to the various office holder the prime minister has grown in power, partly through actual expansion of power, or powers being taken from the king and given to the office of the prime minister. Yet also due to the precedent set making the office her powers range from its official ability to use the military within the kingdom or outside without parliament her approval for 190 days, which is a law, to be the only person to stand as the king stands during the annual budget review.
The executive power is formed by the prime minister and the council of ministers, the ministers are chosen by the coalition government, through consent. The cabinet usually consists of 12 ministers and secretaries and three representatives from the constituent states. This makes the Netherlands cabinet an interesting mishmash of various interests as since 1983 there has not been a single dominating party in governance and coalitions have become the norm.
The cabinet is responsible to the bicameral parliament, the States General, which also has legislative powers. The 150 members of the House of Representatives, the lower house, are elected in direct elections on the basis of party-list proportional representation. These are held every four years, or sooner in case, the cabinet falls (for example: when one of the chambers carries a motion of no confidence, the cabinet offers its resignation to the monarch). The States-Provincial are directly elected every four years as well. The members of the provincial assemblies elect the 75 members of the Senate, the upper house, which has the power to reject laws, but not proposes or amend them. Both houses send members to the Benelux Parliament, a consultative council
Political culture & parties
Administrative divisions
Foreign relations
Military
The Netherlands has one of the oldest standing armies in Europe; it was first established as such by Maurice of Nassau in the late 1500s. It has seen service throughout the Dutch empire, helping to expand, defend and hold it, as well as fighting in many large conflicts from the Russo-Corean war, the Great war the east indies crisis and the Batavian unrests, the Kandyan insurrection and more recently the Nieuw Batavian crisis. Throughout its existence, the military of the Netherlands has gained a reputation for its ability to conduct war on a budget, its ability to achieve objectives and its sheer ferocity when fighting, as shown in the great war where the Krijgsmacht held the Rhine despite heavy casualties and losing the south and eventually liberating the nation again and pushing all the way into France defeating the enemies of the Netherlands.
The military is composed of four branches, all of which carry the prefix Koninklijke (Royal):
- Koninklijke Marine (KM), the Royal Netherlands Navy, including the Naval Air Service and Marine Corps;
- Koninklijke Landmacht (KL), the Royal Netherlands Army;
- Koninklijke Luchtmacht (KLu), the Royal Netherlands Air Force;
- Koninklijke Marechaussee (KMar), the Royal Marechaussee (Military Police), tasks include military police and border control.
Within the armed forces (Krijgsmacht) almost all branches and units are open to both genders, with the exceptions of the following:
- Submarine service
- Korps Speciale Stoot Troepen
This is for a variety of reasons, be the safety of the females in service to the nature of the units themselves.
The Krijgsmacht in total employs more than 180,000 personnel with 1,3 million reservists, maintaining one of the largest and most capable militaries in Europe. Its navy is considered one of the largest in Europe, this, as well as its military power in general, is a result of its geography, with the need to defend far flung places in Asia and Oceania the need to be a mobile flexible force, as well as the need for defence and a credible deterrence has forced the Netherlands to pay more to the military than many of its citizens actually want.
Notes
- ^ The country may be referred to in Dutch, English, and other languages by a variety of names including the terms the Low Countries, Holland, and Belgica.
