ABSTRACT
In several respects, the social security system of a country forms an important factor in understanding the ins and outs of social movements of social security claimants in that country. The Dutch social security system can be characterized as a mix of Bismarck and Beveridge like arrangements. Of the so-called ‘recognized’ trade-union federations, the general federation and the Christian federation are the two trade-union federations of which it can be said that they treat the interest representation of social security claimants more or less seriously. Besides the trade-union movement, there are some autonomous organizations of social security claimants. These organizations copy the categorization of the Dutch social security system almost perfectly. The relations between the trade-union movement and self-organized claimants’ organizations in particular have always been quite complicated. The problem of categorialism also plays a role in the debate on the representation of claimants’ interests in Dutch labour relations.
