The speech from the movie "Michiel de Ruyter" portrays Johan de Witt addressing an assembly, likely the States-General or States of Holland. The speech is structured around several key themes that reflect republican values and Dutch identity during the Golden Age.
Freedom of Speech
"My father was once imprisoned in Loevestein Castle because he could not agree with the Prince's supporters. That is how I experienced what it is like to live in a country where people are not allowed to think what they want. Is that a country you want to live in? I don't. And I don't think you are either."Trade and Commerce
"Let me ask you a question. We live in a country of merchants. We sail the world's oceans with a fleet of 20,000 ships to do business everywhere."Cooperation and Solidarity
"And in trade, we Dutch people all work together. To negotiate a good price and help each other in times of need. What do you think, has that worked or not? Yes, I see that some representatives hardly fit in the Benches anymore. And then I ask you, when you do business in the East or in the West. Do you do that as a Prince's supporter or as a supporter of the state?"Republican Form of Government
"And why do you think the English are blocking our supply routes? Trying to stop our trade. Is that because you are pro-prince or pro-state? No. The English want to wage war on us because we are Dutch. Free Dutch. Because in the eyes of the big kingdoms, our little country is too rich, too successful and too free."Personal Liberty
"Because we are also a republic. In which everyone is free to live as they wish."Freedom of Religion
"It is a country where we decide for ourselves how we worship God."Constitutional Limits to Power
"Where no leader is more important than the country itself."Shared Values
"The English do not grant us that freedom. They are afraid of that freedom. Because we are prepared to die for that freedom. Because we paid for that freedom with our own blood. That's why."Shared Experience
"And I ask you. Didn't each of you lose a family member to the Spanish or the English? And was that pro-state blood or pro-prince blood? No, that was Dutch blood."Shared Identity
"That is our blood."Work Ethic and Self-Reliance
"This is our country. It is a country that we ourselves have conquered on the water. A country where we earn our own happiness. By rolling up our sleeves. In the villages, in the cities, in the ports and on land."Prepared to Defend Freedom
"We can only protect our freedom if we are also willing to fight for that of another. That is the bond that holds the seven arrows in the claws of the Dutch lion together, gentlemen. That is the bond. Your freedom is my freedom. A freedom that I will defend until my last breath."
The opening establishes:
This personal narrative creates immediate emotional engagement and establishes de Witt's motivation for his republican principles.
This section emphasizes:
By highlighting Dutch commercial success, de Witt connects republican values to practical prosperity.
This portion highlights:
This argument cleverly uses the representatives' own prosperity as evidence for the success of cooperation over factional division.
This section articulates:
By framing the conflict with England as opposition to Dutch freedom rather than to a specific faction, de Witt attempts to unite the divided assembly.
These concise statements define the core principles of the Dutch Republic:
These principles are presented as defining characteristics of Dutch identity, not merely political positions.
This section appeals to:
The repeated emphasis on "blood" creates a powerful emotional appeal to shared heritage and sacrifice.
The conclusion emphasizes:
The reference to the "seven arrows in the claws of the Dutch lion" invokes the national symbol and the motto of the Republic: "Unity makes strength."
The speech employs several effective rhetorical strategies:
The speech is designed to:
The tone is patriotic, inclusive, and resolute, with an emphasis on practical values (trade, cooperation, hard work) alongside idealistic principles (freedom, self-determination, religious tolerance).