Hendrikus Hubertus van Kol (1852-1925) was known for his aid to the early socialist movement in the Netherlands and for his pleas for a better treatment of the indigenous people of the Dutch...Show moreHendrikus Hubertus van Kol (1852-1925) was known for his aid to the early socialist movement in the Netherlands and for his pleas for a better treatment of the indigenous people of the Dutch Netherlands-Indies. At the same time, however, he himself owned a coffeeplantation at the island Java, called 'Kajoemaas'. At this plantation, he did not install any social conveniences which he pleaded for in the parliament after 1894. It is very likely that this entrepreneurship made him very wealthy. Many have seen this as a contradictionary element in his work as a advocate of the socialist movement. However, this thesis tries to show that his fortune played an important role in establishing his own support during the break of the SDAP (Sociaal Democratische Arbeiderspartij) and the SDB (Sociaal-Democratische Bond) in 1893. With the help of his money and patronage, he became one of the co-founders of SDAP in 1894. The role of Van Kols money and his position as a patron in the early socialist movement has been much underrated. This thesis shows that the contradiction between the socialist Van Kol and the source and use of his money is more complex than it is at first sight.Show less
