VU Research Portal Scandal, politics and patronage: Corruption and Public Values in The Netherlands (1650-1747) Hoenderboom, M.P. 2013 document version Publisher's PDF, also known as Version of record Link to publication in VU Research Portal citation for published version (APA) Hoenderboom, M. P. (2013). Scandal, politics and patronage: Corruption and Public Values in The Netherlands (1650-1747). General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. • Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research. • You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal ? Take down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim. E-mail address: [email protected] Download date: 01. Oct. 2021 SCANDAL, POLITICS AND PATRONAGE: CORRUPTION AND PUBLIC VALUES IN THE NETHERLANDS (1650-1747) Thesis committee: prof. dr. J. van Eijnatten (Utrecht University) prof. dr. J.H.J. van den Heuvel (VU University Amsterdam) dr. A. Nobel (University of Amsterdam) prof. dr. J. Pollmann (Leiden University) prof. dr. J.C.N. Raadschelders (Ohio State University/ Leiden University) ISBN: 978-90-5335-689-0 © Michel Hoenderboom, 2013 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, by print, or otherwise, without prior permission from the rightful owner: Michel Hoenderboom. Cover design: Ridderprint BV Illustration: shutterstock.com Printed by: Ridderprint BV VRIJE UNIVERSITEIT SCANDAL, POLITICS AND PATRONAGE: CORRUPTION AND PUBLIC VALUES IN THE NETHERLANDS (1650-1747) ACADEMISCH PROEFSCHRIFT ter verkrijging van de graad Doctor aan de Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, op gezag van de rector magnificus prof.dr. F.A. van der Duyn Schouten, in het openbaar te verdedigen ten overstaan van de promotiecommissie van de faculteit der Sociale Wetenschappen op donderdag 5 september 2013 om 11.45 uur in de aula van de universiteit, De Boelelaan 1105 door Michel Petrus Hoenderboom geboren te Winterswijk promotor: prof.dr. L.W.J.C. Huberts copromotor: dr. F.P. Wagenaar “Onvrijheid allerwegen. De industrie was altijd al onvrij geweest. Alleen aan een universiteit kon je werken als een cultuurdrager: voor je plezier, omdat het je roeping was. Vroeger tenminste.” Professor Doctor Rufus Dingelam Willem Frederik Hermans, Onder professoren PREFACE AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS A beginning Ph.D. student does not really know what he is getting himself into. You have certain expectations for the years to come, but quickly realize that things do not always go the way you want them to go. A Ph.D. student needs to go with the flow, accept setbacks and sometimes set new goals. As a result of other activities, such as teaching, writing articles, attending conferences and attending classes it is sometimes difficult to keep focus. One is easily distracted by all kinds of interesting things, especially as the starting researcher is under the impression that he has loads of time to finish his project. Yet I can honestly say that I am very grateful for all the “distractions” that I encountered during my years as a researcher at the VU University Amsterdam. I learned to value the lectures which I gave in my courses as I noticed what a joy it can be to have some social interaction next to my solitary archival research. I very much enjoyed my discussions with the students and they served as a welcome distraction from writing and doing research. I also realized that a possible future after completing my Ph.D could include more than solely an academic career, but possibly also a career in teaching. I am therefore very grateful for all the experiences I gained during my Ph.D. research. Firstly, I would like to thank my supervisors Pieter Wagenaar and Leo Huberts for their support and guidance during my research. Pieter has always been a major influence while writing my thesis. Of greatest importance were his essential comments and advice on the content of my research. I very much enjoyed our discussions on all facets of administrative history or the history of public administration. Secondly, Pieter has always been able to motivate me, even when I was going through a bad research patch. I would like to thank Leo for his support during my years of research. As a specialist in the field of integrity of governance I am grateful to him for sharing his considerable knowledge for my research project. I hope to have at least furthered your interest in the historical aspects of corruption and integrity of governance. Secondly, I would like to thank people who have influenced my academic thinking. I always enjoyed the dinners, meetings and discussions I had with my two fellow researchers on the “Under Construction: The Genesis of Public Value Systems ” research project, Toon Kerkhoff and Ronald Kroeze. It was pleasant not having to work entirely on my own, but to be part of a bigger project whose focus spanned several centuries. As a result I always felt that I was working with other people interested in what I was doing. Our cooperation really served as a catalyst for developing my own ideas as well as pointing me in the right direction. In addition I would like to thank the other supervisors on the “Under Construction” project, Joris van Eijnatten, James Kennedy and Mark Rutgers. I enjoyed working together with my roommates and colleagues in the department of Governance Studies at the VU University Amsterdam. While attending conferences I was lucky enough to meet like-minded researchers from all over the world who were working on similar research in other countries and settings. I cannot mention you all, but thank you for the fruitful discussions we had. Thirdly, I would like to thank the people who made this project possible. The “Under Construction” project would not have been possible without the generous funding by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO), which allowed me to do research for four years. The staff members at the various archives were always very helpful and pointed me in the right direction when I lost my way and did not know where to find the relevant sources for my thesis. Furthermore, Rick Arons was essential in preventing me from making all kinds of mistakes as a non-native English speaker. Last but not least, on a personal note I would like to thank my family for always supporting me, especially my father and mother, Ben and Margriet, to whom I dedicate this book, my sister Annemarie and brother-in-law Frederik and little Hugo and Olaf. Your suppor t has been essential during my “ educational car eer” , of which this book forms the conclusion. Michel Hoenderboom The Hague March 31, 2013 CONTENTS 1 CONSTRUCTING CORRUPTION 1 1.1. Introduction 1 1.2. Discourses of corruption 3 1.3. Definitions of political corruption 6 1.4. Towards a neo-classical approach 8 1.5. Sources of values 11 1.6. Case study selection 12 1.7. Existing historical work 14 1.8. Administrative history and the legitimization of administration 16 2 THE DUTCH REPUBLIC (1650-1750): POLITICAL IDEAL VERSUS ADMINISTRATIVE PRACTICE 29 2.1. Introduction 29 2.2. Political developments 30 2.2.1. The first stadtholderless period, 1650-1672 30 2.2.2. Stadtholder William III, 1672-1702 32 2.2.3. The second stadtholderless period, 1702-1747 34 2.2.4. Stadtholder William IV, 1747-1751 35 2.3. Institutional fragmentation 36 2.3.1. Introduction 36 2.3.2. Local government 37 2.3.3. Provincial government 39 2.3.4. The Stadtholder 40 2.3.5. The Generality 41 2.4. Power and position 42 2.5. A harmonious society 45 2.6. Moral authorities 48 2.7. Conclusion 49 3 ANDRIES HESSEL VAN DINTHER AND CORNELIS DE WITT: A CLASH OF CULTURES (1637-1672) 51 3.1. Introduction 51 3.2. The conduct of Andries Hessel van Dinther, baljuw of Beijerland 53 3.3. Cornelis de Witt’s rise 57 3.4. The accusations against Cornelis de Witt 59 3.5. Conclusion 64 4 LODEWIJK HUYGENS, DROST OF GORINCHEM, (UN)FIT TO ADMINISTER (1672-1686) 69 4.1. Administration and office in Gorinchem 69 4.2. Turmoil and legal issues 71 4.3. A legal perspective 77 4.4. A public scandal 79 4.5. “The shop floor” 81 4.6. Conclusion 85 5 REVOLT IN ROTTERDAM, THE CASE OF JACOB VAN ZUIJLEN VAN NIJEVELT (1676-1695) 89 5.1. Administration and office in Rotterdam 89 5.2. Conflict 90 5.3. Legal consequences 93 5.4. A turnabout for local administration 102 5.5. A public scandal 106 5.6. Conclusion 111 6 GERARD BURCHARD VAN RECHTEREN, GOVERNOR OF DOORNIK: A STRUGGLE FOR REHABILITATION (1719-1724) 115 6.1. Introduction 115 6.2. Increasing tensions 117 6.2.1. Resolutions of the Estates General 117 6.2.2. Appointment as Governor of Doornik 118 6.2.3. Complaints 119 6.2.4. An investigation 121 6.3. Legal consequences 122 6.3.1. Charges 122 6.3.2. Interrogations 123 6.3.3. Sentencing 124 6.4. A public scandal 126 6.4.1.