Tijdschrift voor Geschiedenis - Volume 138, Issue 4, 2025

Neutrality is cowardice. The post-war politicization of public education in The Netherlands

The political purposes and aims of Dutch education began to be questioned after the Second World War. But there was also a high regard for educational freedom, considered a cornerstone of Dutch democracy. Why did the Dutch government not interfere to protect and strengthen democratic values? And how did teachers in public schools, who were expected to be politically neutral, react to the politics of their time and post-war controversies? This article demonstrates how teachers maintained their independence and influenced Dutch society, shaping the political outlook of future citizens.

The Netherlands in the 1990s. Myth, Historiography and Research Agenda

As in other countries, the 1990s have received much attention from Dutch historians in recent years. This article discusses two shortcomings that hinder a proper understanding of this crucial era. The first issue concerns popular works, which strongly shape collective memory. In podcasts, TV programs, books, and other formats, non-academics fondly recall this ‘golden age’ through personal memories, portraying the Netherlands as a paradise. This nostalgia, partly rooted in escapism, idealizes and mythologizes the era. Historians and other academics, by contrast, take a more critical stance but – and this is the second shortcoming – focus mainly on political history. As a result, ‘ordinary people’ and important socio-cultural developments are largely overlooked. This article outlines how future research on this pivotal decade can fill that gap, debunk the paradise myth, and give new momentum to the historiography of decades.