The polder model reviewed: Dutch corporatism 1965-2000

The Dutch Polder Model gained international reputation in the 1990s as an example of a successful and peaceful incomes management policy while coping with severe pressure. This article claims that the Polder Model has been overrated and so has its performance in terms of consensus (central agreements). The article discusses the emergence and working of this model in three parts. First, the behaviour of the relevant actors (government, trade unions and employers' organizations) during negotiations on incomes policy is examined. The government employed more often than not a corporatist strategy; however, the social partners did not comply and displayed competitive behaviour. Second, the outcome of the negotiations in terms of central agreements is analysed. The actual performance rate is low due to 'tough' bargaining between social partners, and not all central agreements were reached through a corporatist government strategy. Finally, the dominance of social democracy in government after 1994 did not increase the number of central agreements. This research demonstrates that there is no typical or successful Dutch Polder Model. Rather, the behaviour of the actors and related performance are structured by macroeconomic circumstances and exogenous influences. © 2007 Uppsala University

The contingency of corporatist influence: Incomes policy in the Netherlands

This paper examines the hypothesis that corporatist intermediation by party governments facilitates incomes policy formation and is effective in reaching agreements between employers and trade unions as well. A social democratic party in government would positively enhance this process. Investigating this for the Netherlands between 1965-2000, two puzzles emerge. The first puzzle is that coalition governments of Social and Christian Democracy fall short of expectations despite their commitment to corporatism. The second puzzle is that the relationship between Social Democracy and effective corporatist intermediation is positive but cannot sufficiently account for the variation in agreements on Dutch incomes policy. That variation can be better understood as induced by institutional change, economic development and external vulnerabilities. The Dutch case study shows that the performance of a social democratic party in government in a corporatist context is less directly effective than the literature often has suggested

The influence of living plants on denitrification

A study was made of the N cycle in permanent pastures. Between 10 and 40 % was lost when labelled NO 3 -, was added. The losses by denitrification were stimulated by living roots, which decreased the O 2 level in the rhizosphere and excreted organic compounds which could act as hydrogen donors during NO 3 - reduction. Experiments with sterile plants demonstrated that Pseudomonas and Achromobacter species could use the root's excretory products as hydrogen donors. Bacillus licheniformis and some other B.spp., which could denitrify in pure culture, could not utilize these compounds. Amino acids stimulated denitrification by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and the rate-limiting reduction from nitrate to nitrite.B. licheniformis was not an obligate denitrifier; the presence of NO 3 - was only indispensable and a high nitrate reductase activity was only found if glycerol was the hydrogen donor.Conditions in the soil were not suitable for NO 3 - reduction to NH by B. licheniformis.</em