The Dutch Enlightenment: The reception of Kant in learned societies in the Netherlands between 1780 and 1820

Abstract

In this thesis, the Dutch Enlightenment as an intellectual and cultural phenomenon in the second half of the eighteenth century will be reassessed. According to Ferdinand Sassen, the status of Dutch philosophy at the turn of the nineteenth century was at an all-time low. The stagnation of philosophical progress was mainly the result of a conservative theologizing tendency in the popular so-called “common-sense” philosophy that had rooted itself deeply in Dutch philosophical activity. The most important occupation of Dutch philosophers was the reconciliation of philosophy with Christian faith. This evaluation of philosophy is in line with a more general evaluation of the decline in Dutch politics and economy at this time. Simon Schama confirms this: the Enlightenment was met rather coolly in the Netherlands. By contrast, Jonathan Israel has argued that the Netherlands had taken a key position in the development of the Radical Enlightenment during the seventeenth century, mainly in the figure and followers of Baruch de Spinoza. The unique circumstances within the Dutch Republic allowed radical ideas to flourish. Nevertheless, the dichotomy constructed between, on the one hand, a conservative, moderate Enlightenment and, on the other, a radical Enlightenment do not do justice to the historical facts. The motives of several important figures in the history of Dutch thought, such as Johannes Kinker, are misunderstood in Sassen’s generalization. Yet, as much as the Netherlands was a fruitful ground for radical thinkers, these formed a marginal group. The Dutch debate on Kant will show that the status of new and controversial philosophies in the Netherlands can best be understood through the activities of learned societies, not through academia nor through the study of individuals. Societies were at the heart of Dutch intellectual life and have unfairly escaped the attention of authors such as Sassen. Archival research reveals that Kantians clustered together in learned societies. Although many of these men have remained under the radar, they endorsed and actively promoted many of the same Enlightened ideals of education and emancipation as their German and French contemporaries. This was not always obvious in their public life, but within societies they were able to experiment with ideas in a sociable environment.