In the Dutch Republic (1588-1795) a large proportion of poor relief was financed through collection gifts. In many cities door-to-door collections took place weekly and money was also raised during church services.
In her thesis, which Daniëlle Teeuwen will defend on June 13th, she examines how secular and religious authorities managed to raise high and relatively stable amounts for charitable causes year after year.Teeuwen analyses the policies of both city councils and church boards that organized these collections, as well as the population’s giving behaviour.
Based on archival research in Delft, Utrecht, Zwolle and 's-Hertogenbosch, she demonstrates that the authorities made use of both organizational and rhetorical collection strategies to encourage the population to give generously. Early announcements of the collections had to make the town-dwellers aware of collections taking place, and emphasised that it was their Christian and civic duty to give. Both city governments and ministers highlighted the benefits of generosity in life and in the hereafter. The pressure was sometimes further enhanced by the use of open plates with which ministers, burgomasters or bailiffs went door-to-door to collect gifts.
To increase public trust that donations would be well spent, city governments also supervised the finances of charitable institutions, they saw to it that collections took place according to the rules and they combatted fraud and misuse. In general these policies proved to be successful: large sums were collected annually, and not only the elites, but also the less well-off contributed.
This thesis is part of the IISH initiated NWO project Giving in the Golden Age.
Thesis: Generating generosity. Financing poor relief through charitable collections in Dutch towns, c. 1600-1800
Supervisors:
Prof. dr Lex Heerma van Voss
Prof. dr Marco van Leeuwen
Co-supervisor:
Dr. Elise van Nederveen Meerkerk