Head versus heart: The ambiguities of non-sovereignty in the Dutch Caribbean

Abstract

Whereas political scientists tend to make binary distinctions between sovereign states and subnational units, in recent decades the number of a third, hybrid category of federacies or non-sovereign jurisdictions has strongly increased. In this paper, we explore the benefits and downsides of non-sovereignty from the perspective of these territories' inhabitants. We zoom in on the six islands of the Dutch Caribbean, which in 2010 experienced a profound change in their political status. Using data from two large-scale opinion surveys that we conducted in 1998 and 2015, respectively, we show that the population of the Dutch Caribbean islands maintains a highly ambiguous attitude towards the non-sovereign status. While many respondents appreciate the material benefits of the enduring link with the metropolis, there are significant emotional and ideational objections to this relationship. These findings are embedded in broader scholarly discussions about the position of decentralized and peripheral jurisdictions vis-à-vis their administrative core.

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“…At the same time, the survey outcomes demonstrate a considerable rise between 1998 and 2015 of feelings of resentment about the nature and impact of the increasingly strong Dutch presence, ranging from economic concerns to issues of culture and identity (Veenendaal & Oostindie, 2017). This indicates that while, from a pragmatic, rational perspective, non-sovereignty may be thought of as an acceptable or even desirable political arrangement, this outcome may be strongly and increasingly resented from a more political, ideological and also psychological point of view.…”

“…At the same time, standards of living tend to be clearly below the metropolitan average. While the latter observation may result in political mobilization for more metropolitan support, the former is a strong and apparently decisive argument for great majorities in the non-sovereign territories against the pursuit of independence (Veenendaal & Oostindie, 2017). This is not to say that the populations of the non-sovereign territories value their status only because of economic advantages, but certainly this factor is crucial.…”

“…Since the 1970s, there has been a considerable number of plebiscites, elections with the political status as a major issue, and countless surveys on issues relating to the relations between the Dutch Caribbean islands and the Netherlands, as well as the relations between the islands themselves, all of which, including the most recent ones, have confirmed the choice of nonsovereignty. The results of two linked surveys (1998, 2015) point to a familiar theme in postcolonial non-sovereign societies: the painful trade-off between head and heart (Veenendaal & Oostindie, 2017). Dutch Caribbean citizens express a strong preference for a continuation of the present non-sovereign constitutional relations, even if they are well aware that the (European) Netherlands ultimately decides their fate -at least, as long as they do not opt for full independence.…”

“…Dutch Caribbean citizens express a strong preference for a continuation of the present non-sovereign constitutional relations, even if they are well aware that the (European) Netherlands ultimately decides their fate -at least, as long as they do not opt for full independence. When asked why, island inhabitants consistently offer a range of pragmatic arguments: financial support; security issues such as territorial integrity and the safeguarding of democracy and human rights; the Dutch passport and hence the right of abode in the Netherlands; and, remarkably, Dutch administrative supervision of locally elected administrations (Veenendaal & Oostindie, 2017).…”

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“…Maar een grote meerderheid van de bewoners van deze eilanden wil hoe dan ook niet van Nederland af, zo blijkt steeds weer uit referenda, verkiezingsuitslagen en opinieonderzoek. 3 Hoe komt dat? De voormalige Nederlandse Antillen zijn het restant van een ooit indrukwekkend koloniaal rijk waarvan het zwaartepunt in Azië lag.…”