Spotprent op de herverkiezing van twee liberale kamerleden, 1868 1867

Johan Michaël Schmidt Crans created this print in 1868 to comment on the re-election of two liberal members of parliament. It's a scene of Dutch society where political status and identity are visually communicated through dress and posture. The print is from a time of significant political change in the Netherlands, with liberalism gaining ground, reflecting a shift in societal values towards more individual freedoms and less governmental control. But who really benefited? The three men in the foreground are well dressed, symbolic of the middle and upper classes. Their body language, especially that of the central figure, suggests a sense of confidence and entitlement. This contrasts sharply with those who were excluded from this new 'freedom,' the working class, women, and colonized people who had no political voice. The artist uses the print to question the true beneficiaries of liberal politics. The text translates to, "I knew that Rotterdam would remain liberal". The print suggests that liberalism, while advocating for freedom, may have primarily served the interests of a select group, reinforcing existing power structures. How do we ensure that progress and freedom are truly inclusive and not just a reshuffling of privilege?