In Search of Republican Unity

The importance of the Dutch Revolution late eighteenth century for political developments in Northern Netherlands is still contested. Most historians view period as starting point a number democratic institutions, including elections. Others have pointed out, however, that nineteenth shows remarkable amount continuity practice with early modern period, and therefore questioned impact change. Scholarship on system during revolutionary era has paid little attention to exclusion specific group from electoral politics: opponents revolution. debates question whether Orangists should access ballot were intense Netherlands, where struggle between Patriots had been taking place since 1780s. Through consideration why revolutionaries placed such barriers against their adversaries (mainly Orangists, but brief also moderates federalists), this essay argues ought be viewed its particular character mind, rather than considering it simply relied old practices or one gave birth new ones.