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The Christian Historical Party (in Dutch: Christelijk Historische Partij, CHP) was a Dutch conservative Reformed political party, which existed from 1903 to 1908. The CHP is historically linked to the Christian Democratic Appeal which is currently one of the major parties of the Netherlands. [1]
The CHP was founded in April 1903 as a merger of two conservative Protestant parties, the Free Anti Revolutionary Party and the Christian Historical Voters' League. Both were turned again the leadership and ideology of Abraham Kuyper, the leader of the main Protestant Anti Revolutionary Party. Kuyper had initiated a new political course for Protestantism in the Netherlands, which included cooperation with the Catholics, in the coalition, strategical support for extension of suffrage a rejection of theocracy in favour of a specific conception of state neutrality, sphere sovereignty and a strong party organization and party discipline. The opposition against Kuyper was led by Alexander de Savorin Lohman, who founded the Free Anti Revolutionary Party.
In 1908, the CHP merged with the Frisian League, another conservative Protestant party, to form the Christian Historical Union
The term "Christian Historical" was used before 1897 to denote supporters of the main Protestant party, the Anti Revolutionary Party, emphasizing the Protestant nature of the history of the Netherlands.
The CHP was a conservative Protestant party. It saw government as a god-given institution, which should act according to biblical norms. Society should furthermore follow its historical course. Power should not be based on the opinion of the majority but on authority.
The CHP was formed as a result of dissent within the main Protestant party the Anti Revolutionary Party, unlike that party the CHP did not recognize Catholicism as a legitimate religion. The party was strong anti-papist. According to the CHP, the Netherlands was a Protestant nation. As such it was hostile to the Catholic segment of society. It renounced the coalition between the Protestant Anti Revolutionary Party and the catholic General League and antithesis between religious and areligious parties. Catholic influences within society should be limited.
The CHP advocated limited government. It supported only limited government interference in the economy and instead advocated charity to help the poor. Furthermore, the party opposed general suffrage.
This table shows the CHP's results in elections to the House of Representatives and Senate, as well as the party's political leadership: the fractievoorzitter. It is also possible that the party leader is a member of the cabinet; if D66 were part of the governing coalition, the "highest ranking" minister is listed.
| Year | HoR | S | Fractievoorzitter | Cabinet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1903 | 10 | 3 | Alexander de Savornin Lohman | supports the cabinet of Kuyper |
| 1904 | 10 | 3 | Alexander de Savornin Lohman | opposition |
| 1905 | 7 | 3 | Alexander de Savornin Lohman | opposition |
| 1906 | 8 | 3 | Alexander de Savornin Lohman | opposition |
| 1907 | 8 | 3 | Alexander de Savornin Lohman | opposition |
The electorate of the CHP was mainly constituted by adherents of the Dutch Reformed Church from the upper class, especially nobility, land owners, high officers and high-ranking civil servants. It won and kept seats in several districts with large reformed populations, Goes in Zeeland, Apeldoorn in Gelderland, Dokkum in Friesland, and Katwijk and Schiedam in South Holland.
As a party for Protestant dissenters of a catholic-Protestant alliance, the CHP is a unique phenomenon in international perspective. Its political trajectory, which included support of limited government, rejection of universal suffrage and hostility against Catholicism, is comparable to the course taken by the British Conservative Party in the late 1800s and to some extent American Party of the United States.
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The Christian Union is a Christian-democratic political party in the Netherlands. The CU is a centrist party, maintaining more progressive stances on economic, immigration and environmental issues while holding more socially conservative positions on issues such as abortion and euthanasia. The party describes itself as "social Christian".
The Reformed Political Party is a conservative Calvinist political party in the Netherlands. The term Reformed is not a reference to political reform but is a synonym for Calvinism—a major branch of Protestantism. The SGP is the oldest political party in the Netherlands existing in its present form, and has been in opposition for its entire existence. Since 1925, it has won between 1.6% and 2.5% of the votes in general elections. Owing to its orthodox political ideals and its traditional role in the opposition, the party has been called a testimonial party. Since the general election of 2012, it has held 3 of the 150 seats of the House of Representatives.
The Christian Democratic Appeal is a Christian-democratic political party in the Netherlands. It was originally formed in 1977 from a confederation of the Catholic People's Party, the Anti-Revolutionary Party and the Christian Historical Union; it has participated in all but three cabinets since it became a unitary party.
The Anti-Revolutionary Party was a Protestant conservative and Christian democratic political party in the Netherlands. The party was founded in 1879 by Abraham Kuyper, a neo-Calvinist theologian and minister. In 1980 the party merged with the Catholic People's Party (KVP) and the Christian Historical Union (CHU) to form the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA).
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The Christian Historical Union was a Protestant Christian democratic political party in the Netherlands. The CHU is one of the predecessors of the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA), into which it merged in September 1980.
The Reformatory Political Federation was a minor Protestant Christian political party in the Netherlands.
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The Christian Historical Voters' League was a Dutch conservative protestant political party. The CHK is historically linked to the Christian Democratic Appeal which is currently one of the major parties of the Netherlands.
The Free Anti Revolutionary Party was a Dutch conservative Reformed political party, which existed from 1898 to 1903. The VAR is historically linked to the Christian Democratic Appeal which is currently one of the major parties of the Netherlands.
The League of caucuses on Christian Historical foundation in the province of Friesland is a Dutch conservative Reformed political party. The Frisian League is historically linked to the Christian Democratic Appeal, which is currently one of the major parties of the Netherlands.
The Christian Democratic Party was a Dutch left-wing Christian-democratic political party. The CDP played only a minor role in parliament. It is historically linked to both the Labour Party and the Christian Democratic Appeal.
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The school struggle is a historical conflict in the Netherlands between 1848 and 1917 over the equalization of public financing for religious schools.
Jhr. Alexander Frederik de Savornin Lohman was a Dutch politician and leader of the Christian Historical Union during the first quarter of the 20th century.
