The definition of a particular science is necessarily based upon certain pre-suppositions — which often remain implicit — concerning the way to approach reality or that part of it which can be... Show moreThe definition of a particular science is necessarily based upon certain pre-suppositions — which often remain implicit — concerning the way to approach reality or that part of it which can be isolated as the subject matter of that science. Consequently, the importance of an inquiry into this problem lies just as much in the delimitation of what to study as in the question of how to study it. It is argued that far from being an independently existing entity, reality is to be conceived as a construction of man’s knowing mind. Knowledge consists of giving a definite and reliable form to sensory experiences through the formation of concepts and relationships in order to answer questions or to solve problems posed by man with regard to certain initially formed concepts. Reality consists of everything which has a status and function in such constructions. While sensory experiences as such are to be postulated as independently given, their content and form are not. Instead, these and our reality as a whole are the products of the long history of human evolution. Knowledge progresses through the solving of problems originated in an earlier phase, thus leading to another structuring of our experiences and the formation of a somewhat different reality. Thus science consists of the self-conscious construction of a particular reality serving the understanding of a well-defined problem. That problem is generated by, and derives its significance from, the reality of everyday life. Defining our science means to give an ’explication’ of ’politics’, as it poses a significant problem in everyday life, and is to serve as the starting-point for the construction of a particular political-scientific reality. Considering that human life implies the striving for the realization of values, which takes place in and is dependent on social interactions, this problem is then defined as the fact that authoritative allocation of values for the participants in such interactions will necessarily and inevitably take place. It is finally argued that it is both necessary and scientifically fruitful to give political science a wide scope: as regards the participants in the interactions (groups or individuals), the character of the interactions (international, state, or non-state) and the way in which allocations take place (institutionalized or not). Show less
Since 1948 state secretaries may be appointed to Dutch ministries. The purposes of establishing and maintaining this institution are: 1 to assist the ministers and to alleviate their tasks without... Show moreSince 1948 state secretaries may be appointed to Dutch ministries. The purposes of establishing and maintaining this institution are: 1 to assist the ministers and to alleviate their tasks without increasing the number of cabinet ministers or the number of ministries, while retaining the consistency of government policy; 2 to train future ministers; 3 to obtain political balance in a government consisting of a coalition of several political parties. So far, fifty-two state secretaries have been appointed to ninety posts termed state secretaries. A survey of publicly available material shows that the three aims mentioned above were realized to a certain degree. The increase in the number of ministries was slight. Special tasks within the ministries are performed by a state secretariat (e.g. matters of taxation within the ministry of finance, and public health affairs within the ministry of social affairs and public health). Of the nine state secretaries to become ministers at a later date, two eventually became prime minister; only one began his political career in parliament, and three entered a political party at about the time of their first appointment as state secretary. Many state secretaries obtained experience in matters of public government and policy outside parliament, but not much is known about party-political careers. None of the state secretaries filled different state secretariats in succession. Five of them, became ministers in another ministry. The aim of ’political balance’ has been given increased attention since the formation of the De Quay cabinet (1959). The majority of state secretaries was appointed from that time on, while attempts were made to find active party members for the posts concerned. There is no evidence that any one of these three, sometimes conflicting, aims superseded the others. Show less
In the Netherlands the system of proportional representation functions in such a way that, although there are eighteen administrative districts, the country as a whole counts as one district. In... Show moreIn the Netherlands the system of proportional representation functions in such a way that, although there are eighteen administrative districts, the country as a whole counts as one district. In this article a recent suggestion to apply proportional representation to each of these eighteen districts is discussed. The results of such a system for the elections of 1956 and 1957 are shown in tables 1 and 2. The practical results are compared with the theoretical results under some possible combinations of party lists (’comb. I’ meaning that no combination of lists took place, ’comb. IF meaning that the lists of the confessional parties are combined, ’comb. IIP meaning that there are combinations of the confessional parties and the two main non-confessional parties [Liberal and Labour], ’comb. IV’ meaning that there are combinations of the confessional parties, the socialist parties [Labour, Pacifist, Communist] and parties of the ’right’ [Liberal, Farmers]). It is shown that such a reform of the electoral system would not cause the number of parties in parliament to diminish, that the numerical relations between the main parties would hardly change, that cabinet formation would be equally difficult and that the proposed reform would not lead to a two-party system. Show less
Survey results concerning undergraduate students in political and social sciences at Amsterdam and Leyden suggest that the majority of these students prefer the same political party as their... Show moreSurvey results concerning undergraduate students in political and social sciences at Amsterdam and Leyden suggest that the majority of these students prefer the same political party as their fathers do. When they deviate from their fathers’ party choice, they tend to reject confessional parties (KVP, AR, CH, SGP and GPV). Furthermore, they shift more to ’the left’ than to ’the right’ in comparison to the party preference of their fathers (a continuum was presumed to exist, in terms of which Dutch patties were ranked from ’left’ to ’right’ in the following order; CPN, PSP, PvdA, D’66, KVP, AR, CH, VVD, SGP, GPV, BP, rest). The tendency to turn away from confessional parties appeared to be connected with rejection of church-membership by students whose fathers belong to a church. Finally, an index of the socio-economic position of the student did not show an appreciable correlation with preference for ’leftist’ parties (PvdA, PSP or CPN). Show less
