Hervormingswetten

Hervormingswetten is a Dutch term that refers to laws intended to reform political, administrative, social, or religious structures. The phrase is often used to describe liberal reforms that reconfigure governance and civil rights, sometimes expanding parliamentary sovereignty, limiting royal or clerical prerogatives, and laying the groundwork for modern constitutional order.

In the Netherlands, the most prominent example is the constitutional reform of 1848, driven by Johan Thorbecke. This reform replaced an older, more centralized system with a constitutional framework that introduced ministerial responsibility to parliament, established a constitutional monarchy, and formalized civil liberties and the rule of law. The 1848 changes are seen as a turning point that enabled a more democratic and stable political system, while still maintaining a limited franchise that would be expanded in later decades.

Hervormingswetten encompass a range of reforms beyond constitutional changes. They include electoral, educational, and administrative measures designed to modernize state institutions and society. In practice, these laws often emerged from negotiations among liberal, Catholic, and other political groups, aimed at balancing liberal principles with social and religious concerns. Over time, such reforms contributed to gradual expansions of rights, the modernization of public administration, and the professionalization of government.

Today, the term is used to describe significant reform acts in Dutch-speaking regions, and it is associated with the broader liberal and constitutional tradition that shaped modern governance. It also serves as a reference point for discussions about the pace and scope of reform in the 19th and early 20th centuries.