Gerrit Meijer

Influence of the Code Civil in the Netherlands

The subject of this paper is the influence of the Code Civil in the Netherlands. First, the history of the codification in the Netherlands is examined. Then, attention is paid to the Burgerlijk Wetboek (BW) of 1838, the predecessor of the Dutch civil code of the present day. It is investigated whether this BW is a copy of the Code Civil or a work on its own. Within this framework, the reasons why the Code Civil had an extraordinary influence are shortly mentioned. Finally it is explained how this BW has developed to our BW of 1992. The Code Civil was the model for the BW of 1838. This does not mean that the BW is a copy of the Code. It was not simply a translation. The BW is influenced by the Code Civil, but this does not justify the view that the Netherlands adopted French law. On the contrary: some French rules were removed. Former Dutch law was inserted instead of the French rules or as a supplement to the BW. A large part of the Code is based on joint roots, and the most important common background is Roman law. Those rules cannot be qualified as French law. Besides this there are also typical French provisions, some originated by the French Revolution. With regard to this rules the question is whether these are French rules or universal rights. It can be argued that the BW of 1838 is an improved version of the Code Civil.

Walter Eucken’s Contribution to Economics in an International Perspective

Gives an overview of the reception of Eucken’s work abroad and the influences on the thinking of Eucken from outside the German language area. Further, points to the contribution of Eucken to monetary and capital theory and the theory of the centrally administered economy, the significance of the thinking of Eucken, for almost all questions on the agenda of modern economic policy is illustrated. This especially applies to the parts which are often marked as utopian, among which are his ideas in the area of (international) monetary policy.

Introduction: The Institutional Basis of Market Economies

Gives a short outline of the main charac-teristics and emphasizes the actual signifi-cance of Walter Euckens work. Summarizes the articles included in the journal.

City and Country: Lessons from European Economic Thought

The article concerns some European thought on the issue of city and country. We discuss the contributions of Henri von Storch, Gustav von Schmoller, Werner Sombart, Wilhelm R–pke, and Friedrich Hayek and attempt to translate these theories into practice in documenting the case of the city of Marl. Copyright 2001 The American Journal of Economics and Sociology.

The fate of new ideas: Hermann Heinrich Gossen, his life, work and influence

Investigates the fate of Gossen’s ideas and discusses his life, work and influence. Gossen formulated three laws. First, he formulated the law of diminishing marginal utility, which became the foundation of the later marginalist schools. Second, he formulated the law of want equalization which was later elaborated in the Austrian theory of overinvestment or better theory of wrong investment. He was the first to point to the fact that time is a crucial element of value. In this respect, he influenced the discussion on time preference within the Austrian School (critique of Fetter, Mises, and Rotbard on Bohm‐Bawerk). He was also one of the first to use (simple) mathematics in economics.

Co-determination and the market economy

In this article attention is paid to Böhms ideas on codetermination and on the related subject of public industrial organization. According to Böhm the government has to take care of the institutional framework of the market economy. The coordinating function of prices has to be improved by competition policy and by monetary and financial policy. Public industrial organization and codetermination based on the parity principle are thought by him to be incompatible with the market economy because they frustrate price formation.

The University: Idea and Practice

On May 26, 1988 a dissertation with statements was defended at the University of Groningen, The Netherlands. The first statement by the young doctor—and therefore in his view the most important—was:

Friedrich August Hayek (1899–1992)

This essay concentrates on the contribution to economics and economic policy of Hayek. This can be conceived as an extension and correction of the general economic equilibrium theory of Walras, Pareto and Barone.

200 Years of Local Autonomy: The Relevance for Today

In the first section of this paper, we will pay attention to Wilhelm von Humboldt, a German political thinker on and reformer in the field of local autonomy. The second section is devoted to local autonomy and European political integration. The principles of subsidiarity, sphere sovereignty, and civil society (civility) will be discussed in relation to the treaties of the European Union and evaluated as yardsticks and safeguards of local autonomy.

The State as Utopia: Some Thoughts on Theocracy

Theocracy is the conviction that God as the Creator is the Sovereign of heaven and earth. In this sense, it is not a state form. It can be combined with several state forms. In this chapter, the concept of theocracy in Christianity is discussed. First, the relation between church and state in early Christianity is discussed. Next, the thoughts of Augustine and Aquinas on the relation between church and state are exposed. Then we turn to the discussion of anabaptism and theocracy. Special attention is given to the attempt to realize a “theocracy” in Munster as the New Jerusalem. The conceptions of the Reformation of Luther and Calvin, on the relation between church and state, will be described in the light of Geneva. The chapter will end with a conclusion.