why do dutch americans tend to be so conservative/republican?

[freepcrusher]

Because I thought that Holland was a very culturally liberal place with open attitudes about cannibis (among other things). Dutch Americans on the other hand tend to be very conservative both fiscally and socially. I've heard that Orange City, Iowa is like going into a victorian era fantasy town as the people are very neat and very conforming in their religious and political beliefs.

[All Along The Watchtower]

Keep in mind that most Dutch Americans have been in America for a very long time, spread out over small towns and rural areas, with deep established roots, while the Dutch in their home country are more concentrated in cosmopolitan, modern urban areas like Amsterdam.

[memphis]

We got a lot of nutters who left the Netherlands to start nutter utopias.

[HAnnA MArin County]

<--- Dutch/German American and far from conservative.

My county in Southeast Missouri is heavily German American and one of the most Republican strongholds in Missouri. Boo.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Because I thought that Holland was a very culturally liberal place with open attitudes about cannibis (among other things).

And that was your first mistake. The Netherlands does not = Amsterdam.

[Sam Spade]

Because I thought that Holland was a very culturally liberal place with open attitudes about cannibis (among other things).

And that was your first mistake. The Netherlands does not = Amsterdam.

I'm always shocked at how many people don't know this.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

Dutch Americans have, like the Afrikaaners, retained much more of the Calvinist religion than the descendants of those who remained in the Netherlands under increasing urban and secular cosmopolitan influence.

[Napoleon]

Come on, man, why do you think they left in the first place?

[Mechaman]

Because I thought that Holland was a very culturally liberal place with open attitudes about cannibis (among other things). Dutch Americans on the other hand tend to be very conservative both fiscally and socially. I've heard that Orange City, Iowa is like going into a victorian era fantasy town as the people are very neat and very conforming in their religious and political beliefs.

That was your second mistake (after the first one that Al pointed out).
Dutch Americans do not = Netherlands Dutch for the same reason that Irish Americans do not = Ireland Irish, Anglo Americans do not = England English, German Americans do not = Germany Germans, and so on and so forth.
It's comparing Apples and Oranges.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

There's also the issue of assuming that the people who live in that strange corner of Iowa are typical of Dutch Americans...

[patrick1]

There's also the issue of assuming that the people who live in that strange corner of Iowa are typical of Dutch Americans...

Isnt there also a large Dutch American population in SW Michigan that votes more Republican than their peers. I think Shua may have a point with the Reformed Calvinism angle.  Of course, broad generalizations always have their flaws.