Priest religious of the social action: The sociology of Berne for farmers, small entrepreneurs, and employers 1895-1940

This paper is based on extensive research of the personal files of these social activists in the archives of Berne Abbey. Moreover, all main publications on the social question by these four protagonists of social action (books, brochures, book chapters) were studied. Furthermore, secondary literature on Catholic social organizations, the social question in the Netherlands, and the history of Berne Abbey, including biographical publications about these four social activists, was consulted. The structure of the contribution is as follows. First, the peculiarities of the Catholic social movement in the Netherlands are described. On the one hand, the social question developed relatively late compared to other European countries. On the other, the influence of the church authorities on this movement was greater than it was elsewhere. Second, the article will offer a portrait of the four social activists, each according to the same pattern: after a biographical note, attention will be paid to their activities and their sociology respectively. Third, the conclusion will answer the question why Berne could develop into a center of social action, and will explain what the characteristics of its sociology were.