Why did the Netherlands apologize? Slavery, justice, and the political conditions of state apologies in Europe
Bart-Jan Zandee and Salvador Santino Regilme discuss the key points from their new Review of International Studies article - Why did the Netherlands apologize? Slavery, justice, and the political conditions of state apologies in Europe
Want to know more? You can read the full article at DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0260210525101629
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Abstract
This article explains why the Netherlands, uniquely among major European states, issued a sovereign apology for its role in transatlantic slavery in December 2022 while comparable states, notably the United Kingdom, have not. Using process tracing and an analytically eclectic framework, the apology activation model, or AAM, identifies three interlocking conditions that activate sovereign apologies: institutional openness that admits minoritized voices into competitive politics; influential domestic allies who translate transnational pressure into parliamentary and executive action; and a cohesive, domestically represented victim constituency able to sustain claims and shape framing. The Dutch case shows how forward-looking framing and strategic localization converted CARICOM and EU pressure into parliamentary commitment, a policy package, and a durable reparative agenda despite mixed public opinion; the UK comparison demonstrates that international advocacy alone is insufficient. The article advances theory by integrating normative and material explanations, foregrounding elite interest convergence and domestic opportunity structures, and offering a practical template for analyzing reparations politics across diverse political systems.
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