Joop den Uyl

Johannes Marten "Joop" den Uyl (August 9, 1919 - December 24, 1987) was a Dutch politician of the Dutch Labour Party who served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands from May 11, 1973 until December 19, 1977. He was seen as an idealistic, but also polarizing politician. Throughout history, Dutch political leaders have tended to soothing manners - Den Uyl was one of a relatively few exceptions. People either loved him or hated him. Followers of his... more

Johannes Marten "Joop" den Uyl (August 9, 1919 - December 24, 1987) was a Dutch politician of the Dutch Labour Party who served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands from May 11, 1973 until December 19, 1977. He was seen as an idealistic, but also polarizing politician. Throughout history, Dutch political leaders have tended to soothing manners - Den Uyl was one of a relatively few exceptions. People either loved him or hated him. Followers of his idealistic policies called him Ome Joop (Uncle Joop). He was criticized for creating a budget deficit (although this continued under future cabinets) and polarizing Dutch politics. Associated with Den Uyl was the maakbare samenleving (the makeable society, the idea that society is constructed and that government is a player in the construction). Another idea associated with Den Uyl was de verbeelding aan de macht (imagination in the driver's seat, the power of conceptual thinking, particularly in politics). Den Uyl was born in a Calvinist... less