Dutch revolution failed because the king preempted liberal demands himself

Evidence

Radicals in Amsterdam did sing the Marseillaise and the International in March like they did in Paris, but in a more muted key and with little effect. On Amsterdam’s central square facing the palace, the Dam, it was sung by a small group of political activists, with little influence on (or participation by) a large constituency of the Dutch working class. Revolution in the Netherlands never seemed to have a chance. Street slogans of “long live the Republic” were quickly channeled into more temperate demonstrations and meetings for constitutional reform. The monarchy fell in February and by mid-March, King Willem II preempted the liberals (and doused the radicals) by himself calling for a constitutional overhaul. — Ann Laura Stoler, Along the Archival Grain_ Epistemic…, 545

Categorization

• XREF: Preemption of radical demands by modest reform connects to the Frankfurt School material on how bourgeoise reform co-opts revolutionary possibility.