Former Queen Beatrix became the Dutch monarch in 1980. But unlike 2013 there were many who opposed it. The republican left-wing was far more stronger then it is today. There were even huge demonstrations against Beatrix and her husband Claus. But with the collapse of stalinism, the republican left-wing lost its ground. Today the supporters of a republic in the Netherlands are very weak. The Republican Brotherhood has a membership of less then 1500!
On April 30, the Dutch people put their flag on display. On the flag they put a orange pennon as a sigh of support to the House of Orange. Many Dutch are positive about the ruling monarchists, but there is a dark side few know about. A modern dark story is a fact few Dutch want to hear. The ruling right-wing government led by the liberals and social democrats, want to cut spending. Taxes for workers and rents on houses are raising. Meanwhile the Dutch state is spending 11 million euro on the coronation of Willem Alexander. Workers and poor are getting social benefits cut while the Dutch monarchy is paid five million euro's each year. Former Queen Beatrix got a royal salary of 800.000 euro a year!
This is something the Dutch people start to oppose, but their love for the House of Orange is still strong. Defenders of the monarchy say that the royal family is neutral and for all Dutch. Another lie because the House of Orange is more then just a ruling house, their are a capitalist house. Indeed, the Dutch monarchists are capitalists. Beatrix worked for the Dutch ruling class and she visited many dictatorships to make business deals. Leader of the Dutch capitalists; Bernhard Wientjes said that he did not needed to teach Beatrix about business, she knew all about it!
The father of Beatrix was Bernhard zur Lippe-biesterfeld. This Bernhard was a strong anticommunist and a supporter of capitalism, western colonialism and American imperialism. He was born in Germany and even joined the SS, before marring the daughter of Queen Wilhelmina in 1937. Prince Bernhard love the life of a monarchist, but he kept in close contact with his pro-Nazi German family. He fled to Britain after the German invasion of the Netherlands in May 1940. When Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet-Union, the prince of orange would rather have seen a union between Nazi Germany and Britain, to fight the Soviets. Bernhard hated communism and the Soviet-Union!
After the war Prince Bernhard became very close to American capitalists. During the 70's the prince paid much money to the military junta of Argentina. Bernhard hoped that the Argentinians would buy Dutch products if he paid the leaders of the junta. Also between 1968 and 1973 he got 780.000 US dollars from Lockheed. The American aircraft manufacturer wanted the Dutch to buy their planes. So they paid the prince a lot of money in the hope he would recommend their planes over others. Ordinary people would face jail time if they were discovered. So when the Dutch government found out that Bernhard was paid money, they wanted to jail him. Yet Queen Juliana supported her husband and threaten to leave the throne. The ruling social democrats feared a crisis and so the Party of Labour saved the Dutch monarchy by keeping Bernhard out of jail. His only punishment was that he was no longer allowed to wear a military uniform!
When Beatrix became queen in 1980, she turned the House of Orange into a vehicle for Dutch capitalism. As queen she used her state visits to other nations for the benefits of Dutch big business. She made business trips to many famous dictatorships, like the Arab Republic of Egypt under Mubarak. The same Mubarak who would use western tanks to kill 800 Egyptians during the uprising in 2011!
New king Willem Alexander is not win-out his own elitism. He once bought a luxurious villa in the nation of Mozambique. This African nation is one of the poorest in the world, yet Willem Alexander bought a nice villa for his rich Dutch family there. While 54% of Mozambique live in absolute poverty, he got himself a villa. Buying luxurious houses is what the new king likes. In 2009 he got himself a nice hotel villa in Argentina for 2,5 million euro's and a Greek mansion for 4,5 million euro's. This while the Dutch working class is under constant attack from capitalists and the Dutch government, who say that all people have to deal with less!
But even with all that elitism the Dutch still love their new king. But we revolutionary socialists oppose the Dutch monarchy. We want a socialist workers republic in The Netherlands. That is why we say:
NO TO THE MONARCHY
For a socialist workers republic
defying the Dutch monarchy
The Dutch flag with an orange pennon
The workers red flag flies above it, defying the Dutch monarchy
