Learning from the outside: parliament's response to public meetings in Germany and the Netherlands, 1870–1914

Abstract

ABSTRACT In this article, we study the changing position of parliament regarding public meetings in Germany and the Netherlands between 1870 and 1914. In the second half of the nineteenth century, parliaments in both countries were confronted with the challenge of how to justify their position, and whether and how to integrate the claims and longings of new groups into political decision-making. Public meetings offered a unique place to get in touch with voters and get direct knowledge of the constituents' needs and wishes. Based on the minutes of the Reichstag and Tweede Kamer, we argue that public meetings were increasingly conceived as a legitimate source of public opinion. Although parliamentary traditions and legal frameworks were different in Germany and the Netherlands, we demonstrate that there are interesting parallels in argumentation. In both countries, the question of freedom of expression, access to the meeting hall and an orderly style of debate were central. Public opinion was no longer considered the intellectual affair of an elite and taking ‘the voice of the people’ seriously could now also provide legitimacy to parliamentary politics.