J. H. Schaper was a Dutch socialist politician who became the third member of the Sociaaldemokratische Arbeiderspartij (SDAP) in the Tweede Kamer when he was elected in February 1899 for the district of Veendam. He joined H. van Kol and Troelstra in the Sociaaldemokratische Kamergroep (Social Democratic Parliamentary Group).
Anti-war position
Though less prominent in the Aceh War debates than Van Kol, Schaper consistently supported the socialist anti-war position. In the 1900 debates, he was the party’s spokesperson on the Ongevallenwet (Accident Insurance Law), accepting it as a modest reform while making clear that the socialist party would continue to demand more.
Advocacy on military and colonial issues
Schaper spoke on issues related to the military and colonial system, including:
- The exhaustion of soldiers during manoeuvres, particularly the incident on 25 August when soldiers fell by the dozens near The Hague.
- The poor conditions of soldiers’ food and the need for better preparation.
- The low pay of military nurses and other support personnel.
- The need for married non-commissioned officers to be allowed to sleep at home.
Universal suffrage
Schaper was a consistent advocate for universal suffrage (algemeen kiesrecht). In the 1900 adresdebat (address debate), he argued that the First Chamber (Senate) had overstepped its authority by rejecting the Accident Insurance Law, and suggested that if the situation continued, the abolition of the First Chamber should be pursued.
Significance
Schaper was a committed member of the socialist parliamentary group, rounding out the three-person contingent that represented the working class in the Dutch parliament from 1899 onwards. His work on military conditions and social insurance complemented the party’s broader critique of colonial capitalism and state violence.
See Also
Source
De Sociaaldemokraten in de Tweede Kamer (Amsterdam, c. 1901). Vrije Universiteit Bibliotheek, pp. 1, 19-31.
J. H. Schaper was a Dutch socialist politician who became the third member of the Sociaaldemokratische Arbeiderspartij (SDAP) in the Tweede Kamer when he was elected in February 1899 for the district of Veendam. He joined H. van Kol and Troelstra in the Sociaaldemokratische Kamergroep (Social Democratic Parliamentary Group).
Anti-war position
Though less prominent in the Aceh War debates than Van Kol, Schaper consistently supported the socialist anti-war position. In the 1900 debates, he was the party’s spokesperson on the Ongevallenwet (Accident Insurance Law), accepting it as a modest reform while making clear that the socialist party would continue to demand more.
Advocacy on military and colonial issues
Schaper spoke on issues related to the military and colonial system, including:
- The exhaustion of soldiers during manoeuvres, particularly the incident on 25 August when soldiers fell by the dozens near The Hague.
- The poor conditions of soldiers’ food and the need for better preparation.
- The low pay of military nurses and other support personnel.
- The need for married non-commissioned officers to be allowed to sleep at home.
Universal suffrage
Schaper was a consistent advocate for universal suffrage (algemeen kiesrecht). In the 1900 adresdebat (address debate), he argued that the First Chamber (Senate) had overstepped its authority by rejecting the Accident Insurance Law, and suggested that if the situation continued, the abolition of the First Chamber should be pursued.
Significance
Schaper was a committed member of the socialist parliamentary group, rounding out the three-person contingent that represented the working class in the Dutch parliament from 1899 onwards. His work on military conditions and social insurance complemented the party’s broader critique of colonial capitalism and state violence.
See Also
Source
De Sociaaldemokraten in de Tweede Kamer (Amsterdam, c. 1901). Vrije Universiteit Bibliotheek, pp. 1, 19-31.