A significant development in the history of the Netherlands is the so-called verzuiling. It could be translated as pillarization (zuil = pillar). So what does that mean? When did it happen? Who is it about? And, maybe most importantly… Why?

1. It divided society

Yes, this is a very bold point, and tells you a bit what verzuiling actually entails. Verzuiling really means “verdeling in scherp gescheiden groeperingen” (division in sharply separated groups) of society. These groups would differ in their views on life, their exact religion (Catholic, Protestant, non-religious, etc.), and political views. Verzuiling refers to a process in which society becomes more and more divided in these zuilen.

2. The Netherlands had 4 zuilen

In the Netherlands were 4 discernable zuilen: the sociaal-democratische zuil (social-democratic pillar), the protestants-christelijke zuil (Protestant-Christian pillar), the rooms-katholieke zuil (Roman-Catholic pillar) and the liberale / algemene / neutrale zuil (liberal / general / neutral pillar).

3. The word was created already in the 1930s

Documents from the 1930s mention the term verzuiling for the first time. It takes another twenty years before it is a commonly known and used term, however. It became a much used term to refer to this division of society.

4. Verzuiling started with the schoolstrijd and the kiesrechtstrijd

In the late 19th century, Christian groups in the Netherlands started to oppose the libertarian way of organization of the state. The strong division between church and state was the reason why the government only funded neutral, non-religious schools. Bijzonder onderwijs (special education, that is, religious education) was rejected by the libertarians. These opposing views led to the schoolstrijd (school war), in which the religious zuilen started to exist and collaborate to obtain the right and funding for such bijzonder onderwijs.

At the same time, the industrialization led to a huge amount of workers, and the new arbeidersklasse (workers class) appeared. The socialist ideas became the identity of this class, and led to the formation of the Sociaal-Democratische Arbeiders Partij (SDAP), which would later, after a merger with other much smaller parties, become the current Partij van de Arbeid (PvdA). This arbeidersklasse would form the sociaal-democratische zuil.

Next to the schoolstrijd, there was the kiesrechtstrijd (suffrage war). Similar to the United States, the progressives wanted suffrage for all, not just the very rich men. This was opposed by catholics, old liberals, and conservatives in the Netherlands.

In 1917, with the pacification signed by the leaders of all four zuilen, and it settled that the special education would get funding from the government, and that suffrage would be introduced for men. In 1919, women could vote as well.

This did not address how verzuild the people were already socially. Each zuil had its own churches (if any), news papers, radio channels, clubs, even jobs and shops. That means that an employer would sometimes require his employees to be from a certain zuil.

5. The government led pacificatiepolitiek to avoid conflicts

In the years following 1917, the government and politicians would lead pacificatiepolitiek (pacification politics) in order to avoid further conflicts between the different zuilen. The idea is that instead of solving problems, conflicts are avoided. So concensus is formed, and the problems between zuilen was left aside. This led to an even further entrenched society, but prevented the Netherlands to fall apart in different small states due to these growing, problematic differences between the zuilen. It allowed the Dutch to become a stable society.

6. The Second World War did NOT remove the verzuiling

You might think that the World War II would have removed the verzuiling, as the bezetter (occupier = Nazi Germany) centralized many verzuilde facilities. Also, people worked together against the Nazis in the verzet (resistance), regardless from what zuil they were.

However, after the War, the different groups could still not come towards each other. The PvdA was created from the socialist SDAP, yes, but since the socialists in that Party were in the large majority, and with a great lack of religious members, it was effectively still socialist. There was a Nederlandse Volksbeweging (Dutch People’s Movement), a new kind of party for progressives united against authority, regardless what religion they had. This new view was called the Doorbraak-gedachte (Breakthrough-thought). However, due to a lot of resistance from Dutch bishops, this movement did not succeed, and the old, religious ideals prevailed.

7. The ontzuiling started in the late 60s

Due to greater welfare and a greater focus on the individual, many people turned away from the churches. Especially young people This became a heavy blow for the religious parties, and also the religious zuilen. Also, due to a lack of public say in the pacificatiepolitiek, it received a lot of criticism and was discontinued. And that was the beginning of the end of the zuilen. They basically faded away.

8. But there are still remains!

Many elements of the verzuiling are still visible in Dutch society. A very obvious one you will notice right away when you turn on your TV on NPO 1, 2, 3. These three channels now share the different omroepen (broadcasters) from the different zuilen, which each have their own programs. Sometimes, they are very similar, for example the (very informative and well-made, I think) Zembla (VARA) and Tegenlicht (VPRO). Whether some of these omroepen should not merge or even vanish is often debated. After all, they are publicly funded. TROS, for example, is a recent one that had to stop. And more and more, the different omroepen work together, and the lines between them blur. The same happened before with radio channels, like 3FM.

News papers that originated in a certain zuil still exist, but also here, the lines have blurred.

Political parties go through the same. Even though their origins differ, the world has changed, and so have the parties. Many of them are much more centered now, and less radical.

Do you know such verzuiling also in your country?

Or another, similar division in your society?