A New Social Contract

This article is about the manifesto. For the related political party, see New Social Contract.

Een nieuw sociaal contract
AuthorPieter Omtzigt
Welmoed Vlieger
Audio read byLykele Muus [nl]
LanguageDutch
SubjectManifesto
GenreNon-fiction
PublisherUitgeverij Prometheus
Publication date
23 February 2021
Publication placeNetherlands
Pages221
ISBN9789044648058

A New Social Contract (Dutch: Een nieuw sociaal contract) is a manifesto written by Dutch politician Pieter Omtzigt with a contribution by philosopher Welmoed Vlieger. It was published on 23 February 2021. When Omtzigt wrote it, he was number 2 on the candidate list of the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) for the 2021 Dutch general election. In the book, Omtzigt described his political vision.[1] The book serves as the basis for the political party New Social Contract, which Omtzigt founded for the 2023 Dutch general election.[2]

Content

The lead chapter of A New Social Contract is a personal interview with Omtzigt conducted by Vlieger.[3] This is followed by chapters on the European Union, on the use of models, and the Dutch childcare benefits scandal. Subsequently, Omtzigt argues for a new social contract in order to have more countervailing power within the government. Omtzigt makes ten proposals for this in the book, including:

Reception

A New Social Contract sold 18,000 copies within two weeks.[4]

The book appeared in the weekly rankings of The Bestseller 60 [nl] for twenty weeks in 2021, peaking in second place.[5] It reached first place in August 2023, when the book reappeared on the list after Omtzigt had founded his eponymous political party.[6]

A New Social Contract earned Omtzigt almost €150,000 in 2021. Omtzigt has indicated that he intends to donate the net amount – after deducting a salary and income tax – to the food bank and clothing bank in his hometown of Enschede, Overijssel.[7]

See also

References

  1. ^ Hanna, Marc (22 May 2021). "Een Nieuw Sociaal Contract: Omtzigts Belangrijkste Politieke Lessen En Aanbevelingen". Interruptie (in Dutch). Christian Democratic Youth Appeal. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  2. ^ "Partij Nieuw Sociaal Contract opgericht". Pieteromtzigt.nl (in Dutch). 20 August 2023. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  3. ^ Lammers, Esther (13 March 2021). "Pieter Omtzigt als Kuifje in de politiek". Trouw (in Dutch). Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  4. ^ "Pieter Omtzigt schreef het populairste politieke boek". NRC (in Dutch). 8 March 2021. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  5. ^ "Een nieuw sociaal contract". Debestseller60.nl (in Dutch). Collectieve Propaganda van het Nederlandse Boek. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  6. ^ "Boek Pieter Omtzigt is na twee jaar plotseling weer een bestseller". NOS (in Dutch). 30 August 2023. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  7. ^ Bhikhie, Avinash (15 August 2023). "Baudet en Omtzigt maximaal gekort op Kamersalaris om neveninkomsten". de Volkskrant (in Dutch). Retrieved 23 August 2023.