The Secret of Ministerial Responsibility. The Relationship between Crown, Cabinet, Chamber and Constituencies. Today, we tend to conceive of ministerial responsibility as a rule. Unquestioningly it... Show moreThe Secret of Ministerial Responsibility. The Relationship between Crown, Cabinet, Chamber and Constituencies. Today, we tend to conceive of ministerial responsibility as a rule. Unquestioningly it is assumed that ministers are responsible solely to parliament for all their acts. Originally however, ministerial responsibility was a relational concept, which referred to the relationship between crown, cabinet, (Second) Chamber and constituencies; the four __c__s__. Ministerial responsibility was so to speak an instrument to keep those four constitutional powers in balance. In the period 1848 to 1905 eventually one interpretation came to the fore. In spite of this still dominant interpretation ministerial responsibility is essentially a relational concept providing for a constitutional equilibrium. In the build-up to the constitutional revision in 1848 the Second Chamber already tended to perceive ministerial responsibility as the trust it could put in a minister. The opinion in Dutch legal literature that ministerial responsibility and parliamentary confidence have to be separated from each other is not tenable in that respect. The relationship between cabinet and constituencies played a part in the April-movement in 1853, when Thorbecke__s cabinet was blamed for inadequately informing the people. In the period 1866-1868 liberals and conservatives fought for supremacy in politics by way of a verbal sword-play about the meaning of ministerial responsibility. Show less
A survey into the origins of the army reforms of Archduke John of Austria 1805-1809. The thesis claims that the army reforms were not merely aimed at reforming the army, but through the army the... Show moreA survey into the origins of the army reforms of Archduke John of Austria 1805-1809. The thesis claims that the army reforms were not merely aimed at reforming the army, but through the army the political, social en economical structure of the Empire as well. John was influenced intellectually by his father, the emperor Leopold II, and Johannes von Müller, a Swiss historian of the early romantic school. John of Austria saw that limited warfare was something of the 18th century, and tried to realize a style of warfare that he thought would be more suited to a people's war. The survey ends with a chapter on the war of 1809, looks into Johns experiences in its campaigns and concludes that the Austrian defeat meant the defeat of the reform party in Habsburg politics as well. Show less
Based on rich and wide-ranging data, this thesis describes the sensitive issue of the contemporary emancipation trajectories of agro-pastoralist Fulɓe in Central Mali. It explores how people are... Show moreBased on rich and wide-ranging data, this thesis describes the sensitive issue of the contemporary emancipation trajectories of agro-pastoralist Fulɓe in Central Mali. It explores how people are currently dealing with hierarchies they inherited from past master-slave relations and focuses on the relational dynamics between members of a network of migrants. The importance of mobility to identity is explored by analyzing the tensions that exist among migrants to reproduce or change hierarchical relations in post-slavery societies. To purchase a copy, please email: asc@ascleiden.nl, or check www.ascleiden.nl, under Publications. Show less
This study focuses on the life and work of the sixteenth-century botanist Carolus Clusius in the context of court culture. Before accepting a position at the university in Leiden at the age of 67,... Show moreThis study focuses on the life and work of the sixteenth-century botanist Carolus Clusius in the context of court culture. Before accepting a position at the university in Leiden at the age of 67, Clusius spent a large part of his career at the courts of emperors, princes and aristocrats in Middle-Europe. There he met a wealthy and well-educated elite, who shared his passion for plants, gardens and travelling. But he also encountered a rich diversity of interests and approaches regarding the study of plants. These differences were used by Clusius to establish his authority as a professional botanist and to determine the standards for the proper scientific study of plants. Show less
The Dutch East India Company, the VOC (Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie ) was founded in 1602 and was the first company with permanent capital, tradable shares and limited liability. Its aim was to... Show moreThe Dutch East India Company, the VOC (Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie ) was founded in 1602 and was the first company with permanent capital, tradable shares and limited liability. Its aim was to monopolise the trade in valuable spices as nutmeg, mace and cloves found only in a remote part of the Indonesian Archipelago. This trade had been in the hands of the Portuguese. The first major steps were taken by Jan Pieterszoon Coen (1587-1629) who founded Batavia on Java in 1619 and in 1621 seized the monopoly of nutmeg and mace in a merciless campaign in the Banda Archipelago. Antonio van Diemen (1593-1645) entered the service of the VOC under a false name after his bankruptcy as merchant in Amsterdam to escape his creditors. Under the protection of Coen, he quickly moved up the ranks. The tenure of Antonio van Diemen as governor-general (1636-1645) was decisive for the VOC. Before Van Diemen was appointed, the Company had been avoiding a direct confrontation with the Portuguese. In audacious campaigns the Portuguese were dealt a definitive defeat. It concluded the phase during which the Company established primacy over the sea trade in Asian waters. This state of affairs would continue until far into the eighteenth century. Show less
