Anglophobia in the Dutch Republic, 1756-1784

This thesis explores the nature, longevity and intensity of Anglophobia in Dutch public debate, between 1756 and 1784. Although the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War triggered the Patriot Era, this subject has not seen any study. At most, Anglophobia has been represented as marginal to the domestic critique on the Stadholder William V and the oligarchic regents, a consequence of the focus in the historiography on domestic political developments, most notably, the republican Patriot ideology. This thesis aims to show that Anglophobia was a dominant undercurrent in the Dutch Republic, also within that republican Patriotic discourse that has up till now been considered Francophobic. Anglophobia was contingent on contextual events as well as deeper laying developments. The Seven Year War brought about a conflict between Britain and the Dutch Republic over maritime treaties after the Dutch decided to stay neutral. The declining Dutch economy made trade with Britain’s enemies during war a very...Show moreThis thesis explores the nature, longevity and intensity of Anglophobia in Dutch public debate, between 1756 and 1784. Although the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War triggered the Patriot Era, this subject has not seen any study. At most, Anglophobia has been represented as marginal to the domestic critique on the Stadholder William V and the oligarchic regents, a consequence of the focus in the historiography on domestic political developments, most notably, the republican Patriot ideology. This thesis aims to show that Anglophobia was a dominant undercurrent in the Dutch Republic, also within that republican Patriotic discourse that has up till now been considered Francophobic. Anglophobia was contingent on contextual events as well as deeper laying developments. The Seven Year War brought about a conflict between Britain and the Dutch Republic over maritime treaties after the Dutch decided to stay neutral. The declining Dutch economy made trade with Britain’s enemies during war a very profitable prospect. Therefore, Britain captured Dutch ships. The resulting conflict was sharpened by the dynastic links of the House of Orange with Britain. This context is crucial to understand the outrage against Britain in this period. During the Seven Year War, Anglophobic imagery was used in debates surrounding piracy, neutrality and dynasty. National particularistic stereotyping was used to depict the English negatively, further shaped by a historical consciousness of the seventeenth century, when the roles were reversed and the Dutch Republic was deemed more powerful. Sources point to Britain as playing a part in both the deeper lying sense of cultural insecurity in Dutch society, and the ‘moral corruption’ narrative that was a product of it. But during the 1770s, influenced in part by the American Revolutionary War, Anglophobia was used to reflect positively upon the situation, identity and history of the Dutch. Indeed, the same problems occurred with English privateers like in the Seven Year War. But the Anglophobia around this time received more intellectual argumentation. Britain was increasingly depicted as ‘despotic’, antithetical to republican ‘freedom-loving’ values. This narrative was strengthened by international Anglophobia, and more specifically, by English patriots themselves. However, Dutch writers misunderstood the signs of British power as they predicted its imminent downfall. Even when war broke out that optimism lingered. The cumulative Anglophobic frustration exploded in a feast of songs, poems and celebrations. Ultimately, when the humiliation of the war was irrefutable, Anglophobic turned against domestic ‘traitors’.Show less

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Anglophobia in the Dutch Republic, 1756-1784