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Political science as an independent science was born in the Netherlands in 1948 when J. Barents was appointed the first Dutch political science professor. Political science departments exist now in 5 Dutch universities. About 900 political scientists got their BAs & 50 their doctorates in the Netherlands. Eighteen hundred students are currently majoring in political science. The 200 books published by Dutch political scientists since 1948 are surveyed. It is concluded that there has been a major advance in knowledge & insight & that much is still to be desired. From a political science viewpoint the Dutch map is a mostly blank area. Political science knowledge is fragmented. There is more analysis than synthesis. A policy of work accumulation is missing. Manpower & research funds are short. Government financial support of teaching & research is extremely limited compared to the natural sciences. 2 Tables. Modified AA.

The state of Dutch political thought in the seventeenth century is reviewed. Three main approaches are discussed: (1) The critical approach is represented by P. de la Court, who, influenced by Hobbes, defended a more democratic type of government. (2) The historical-philological movement, represented by J. Lipsius, Boxhornius, & Burgersdijk, was based on Aristotelian metaphysical concepts to develop a more systematic base for historical research. This movement influenced the development of the typical research style of the political sciences in Germany. (3) B. de Spinoza's passion-reason theory led to an analytical political science, exemplifying the typical method of integrating theory & empirical (historical) information. Modified HA.

THE CONCEPT OF LOCAL POLITICAL CONFLICT PRESUPPOSES LOCAL ISSUES OR CONTROVERSIES THAT CAN BE SETTLED BY LOCAL AUTHORITIES. LOCAL AUTHORITIES ARE INVOLVED IN VIOLENT CONFLICT BECAUSE RIOTS DO HAPPEN SOMEWHERE, VIZ ON THE TERRITORY OF A LOCAL GOVERNMENT, WHETHER OR NOT THE CONFLICT IS ABOUT LOCAL ISSUES. THE OBJECTIVES OF ACTION HAVE TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT TO DETERMINE WHETHER A CONFLICT IS A LOCAL ONE. THE OBJECTIONS OF AN ACTION CAN BE THE CHANGE OF LOCAL POWER HOLDERS OR A CHANGE OF THEIR POLICIES. REPLACEMENT OF LOCAL OFFICIALS BY LOCAL ACTION IN THE DUTCH SITUATION IS NOT SO OBVIOUS. IN MOST CASES A DECISION OF THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT IS REQUIRED, EG THE APPOINTMENT OF A NEW MAYOR. BY-ELECTIONS FOR POLITICAL REASONS HAVE NEVER OCCURRED. WHAT HAS HAPPENED IS THE PUTTING ASIDE OF A LOCAL COUNCIL & APPOINTMENT OF A COMMISSIONER BY THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT. IN MANY CASES LOCAL AUTHORITIES MUST HAVE COOPERATION OF THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT TO REALIZE PLANS OF IMPORTANCE, AT LEAST FINANCIALLY. EVEN WHERE THIS PROBLEM DOES NOT EXIST, A LOCAL GOVERNMENT COULD NOT DEVIATE TOO MUCH FROM NATIONAL POLICIES. LOCAL REVOLUTIONARY CHANGE IS NOT POSSIBLE BECAUSE IT IS SUBORDINATE GOVERNMENT. LOCAL CONFLICT CANNOT CHANGE '1ST ORDER POLITICS' (POLICIES) OR '2ND ORDER POLITICS' (POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS) VERY FAR; THE LIMITS ARE TO BE FOUND IN THE NATIONAL SYSTEM. RECENTLY ATTEMPTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO CHANGE THE WAY (PROPORTIONALLY TO THE STRENGTH OF ALL POSSIBLE PARTIES IN THE COUNCILS) THAT PROVINCIAL BOARDS OF ALDERMAN ARE TRADITIONALLY COMPOSED. THOUGH THIS PROCEDURE MIGHT BE REASONED AS A POLITIZATION OF LOCAL & PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT, THE MAIN EFFECT WILL BE TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF CANDIDATES IN COMPETITION FOR SEATS. HA.

Discussed is policy formation by such authorities as the police, local & national government, bar associations, legal aid agencies, the judiciary, & prison authorities. Emphasized is the quasi-absence of reliable statistical information, good annual reports, & the necessary cooperation of the authorities in opening this area for social science research. Major decisions of the Belgian Dept of Justice over the past ten years are analyzed. HA.

Political Science; Information Technology - De snelle verdere ontwikkeling van de informatie- en communicatietechnologie (ICT) heeft consequenties voor de schaal van maatschappelijke activiteiten in het algemeen en voor het handelingsvermogen van de nationale staat in het bijzonder. Doordat de noties van plaats en tijd ingrijpend worden beïnvloed, zullen nationale staten hun functioneren moeten aanpassen. Hierbij geeft ICT overheden enerzijds meer beleidsmogelijkheden; anderzijds zal de doeltreffendheid van aan het statelijk grondgebied gekoppelde beleidsinstrumenten verder afnemen. Overheden zullen, mede gezien de vele onzekerheden, er goed aan doen voor een open benadering van deze ontwikkelingen te kiezen.

The possible contributions of sociobiology & ethology to the political sciences are critically examined. E. O. Wilson's Sociobiology: The New Synthesis (Cambridge, Mass: Harvard U Press, Belknap Press, 1975) is reviewed & the key concepts of his theory are presented. The group "Science for the People" criticizes Wilson's work as racist & supportive of the status quo; their complaints are rejected as biased & unjust. The last three IPSA congresses in Munich (1970), Montreal (1973), & Edinburgh (1976) show that attempts to relate biology & political sciences exist, though they are still rare. The sessions on "Biology & Politics" in the Montreal congress are presented as an example. Here, the emphasis is on the methodological contributions of ethology to political sciences. The concept of "social systems" is seen as a major contribution to the social sciences. It demands a stronger shift toward interdisciplinary works between political & biological sciences. W. Zimmerman.

An introduction that sketches a background for the essays included in the thematic section of the journal & notes the sudden rise of interest in studies devoted to electoral campaigns in Belgium & the Netherlands; an attempt is made to explain the rationale for this trend. Major publications in this field are mentioned, & three particular topics that are of special interest to scholars in political science & political communication are identified: (1) the campaigning activities & strategies of political parties & candidates, (2) the content of campaign news & debates in the media, & (3) the effects of (1) & (2) on voter's behavior & choices. The differences in the evolution of studies of election campaigns between in Belgium and the Netherlands are pointed out. Z. Dubiel

Bij de overheid gaat nogal eens wat fout. Soms is er sprake van grote beleidsfouten, bijvoorbeeld beleidsplannen die niet blijken te werken, stelsels die hun doelen niet halen en programma's die verkeerd uitpakken. Maar er zijn ook concrete projecten die mislukken. Vaak gaan er zaken mis in de uitvoering. De ernst van de fouten kan nogal uiteenlopen. Ook worden sommige fouten uitvergroot, terwijl andere juist worden gemaskeerd. Soms is een fout bijna onvermijdelijk, bijvoorbeeld omdat bij het maken van beleid niet gelet is op de uitvoerbaarheid. Maar het kan ook gaan om blunders. 'Dat had niet zo gemoeten' is een veelgehoorde verzuchting in dit verband. Roel Bekker gaat op basis van een analyse van de voorvallen, maar ook aan de hand van zijn eigen ervaringen als topambtenaar, in op wat er misgaat. Hij beschrijft een groot aantal grote en kleine mislukkingen. Kern van het boek is een verkenning van de oorzaken van wat er fout is gegaan. En dan vooral de achterliggende oorzaken: het politieke systeem, de bureaucratie of de verkokering van de overheid. Of gewoon stommiteiten. In een apart hoofdstuk komt een aantal blundergebieden aan de orde, terreinen of thema's waarbij het vaker fout gaat dan normaal. Hoe komt dat?

Political Science; European Union - Vanuit de fundamentele beginselen van de rechtsstaat wordt ingegaan op vormgeving en functioneren van de rechtsstaat in de huidige tijd. In het verleden is de concrete vormgeving van de rechtsstaat sterk verbonden geweest met de soevereine nationale staat. Twee recente ontwikkelingen, te weten internationalisering en individualisering, brengen daarin verandering. Op de consequenties daarvan wordt nader ingegaan. Er worden aanbevelingen gedaan die beogen de beginselen van rechtsstatelijkheid ook in nieuwe omstandigheden tot hun recht te doen komen.