Luxzenburg

The Past as a Weapon

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The Past as a Weapon

On nostalgia as state strategy and why it works

1. Two images, one mechanism

On 27 January 2024, satirical Dutch outlet De Speld published a piece about a Dutch tradwife who longed so intensely for the past that she accidentally ended up in 1917 — and no longer has the right to vote. “Well, that’s a bit annoying,” she says to her 5,000 TikTok followers, washing dishes in full make-up. Spanish flu, World War One, and no say in anything. She is considering joining the Association for Women’s Suffrage.

First Post

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This is not a blog in the traditional sense. No daily commentary, no news digest, no personal diary.

Luxzenburg.nl is a place for essays. About geopolitics, society, history and the connections between them that are rarely named. Written from the conviction that most of the problems of our time do not stand alone — and that you cannot understand them in isolation either.

I am Erik van Luxzenburg. By training a human geographer, specialising in political and cultural geography, geopolitics and macro-history. By character a systems thinker who struggles with loose fragments. By nature someone who thinks by writing and talking, not before.

Other Paths Were Always Possible

Sun, 29 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Other Paths Were Always Possible

An essay on systems thinking, prehistory and the narrative that is missing

1. The hook: two ways to misuse the past

In the magazine 1843 of The Economist I read the article How Graham Hancock became conspiracy theorists’ favourite historian about Graham Hancock and his Netflix documentary about a glorious civilisation some 13,000 years ago that collapsed around 12,000 years ago. A story about the so-called Atlantis and the sages who built it, leaving behind grand ruins that still astonish us today. It is a reading of history that appeals to many: grand and sweeping, a lost paradise with us as its descendants. Unfortunately it is not supported by real science. Hancock says it himself in the article, almost accidentally: there is no evidence in what archaeologists have studied. That is a classic epistemic trap — the theory is formulated such that every absence of evidence becomes evidence of a cover-up. Archaeologists find nothing? Then they haven’t looked hard enough, or they’re hiding something. This mechanism makes the theory immune to refutation. It is not falsifiable in the Popperian sense. That is not proof the theory is correct, but it shields it from the normal corrective workings of science.

Russian Ex-Minister: Putin Also Wants Finland — Are We Prepared?

Sun, 30 Mar 2014 00:00:00 +0000

This article was originally written on 30 March 2014 and published on blog.luxzenburg.org — twelve years before the large-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and eight years before Finland’s accession to NATO. It is republished here as a historical document and reflects the author’s ideas at the time of writing.

An article in the Times of India gives pause for thought. According to a former Russian Minister of Economic Affairs, Putin does not only want Crimea back. Belarus, more parts of Ukraine, and even EU member state Finland he reportedly wants to ‘reclaim’ — to restore the old Russian Empire.

Why the Netherlands Should Cooperate on European Defence

Sat, 01 Dec 2012 00:00:00 +0000

This article was originally written on 1 December 2012 and published on blog.luxzenburg.org. It is republished here as a historical document and reflects the author’s ideas at the time of writing.

Nu.nl headlines: First flight of new European combat aircraft. The French Dassault has invested around 400 million euros in the aircraft — a remarkably low amount for a more advanced aircraft than the JSF. Far better value for money than what the Americans have delivered in developing comparable aircraft.

The Palestinian Nation Is Just as Much an Invention as the Israeli Nation

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 00:00:00 +0000

This article was originally written on 5 March 2012 and published on blog.luxzenburg.org. It is republished here as a historical document and reflects the author’s ideas at the time of writing.

A well-written article about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, by an American scholar on Al Jazeera. He argues why the debate over whether a Palestinian nation exists is nonsense. The Palestinian nation is just as invented as the Israeli nation.

Judging by the scholar’s name, he appears to have a Jewish background. If so, his contribution to the dialogue is all the more valuable: people who bridge the ‘camps’ — that is ultimately where peace must come from.

Muslim Anarchism

Fri, 09 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0000

This article was originally written around 2008 and published on Google Knol. It is republished here as a historical document and reflects the author’s ideas at the time of writing.

This is part of the Project Policrateia series.

Muslim Anarchism sounds to many like an illusion, as most Muslim nations are known for harsh governments and suppression. However, Islam has many anarchist tendencies incorporated. This article will study these anarchist components and offer an alternative for Islamic politics.

Policrateia: Why Democracy Is Not Enough

Fri, 09 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0000

This article was originally written around 2008 and published on Google Knol. It is republished here as a historical document and reflects the author’s ideas at the time of writing.

This is part of the Project Policrateia series.

Policrateia is a political system based on the best values of democracy, federalism and aristocracy. Why these three? Democracy is chosen because it is a widely accepted form of government that gives citizens the ability to choose and to maintain influence in government. Federalism is a political form that places power as close to the citizens as possible. By aristocracy is meant the political form described by Plato and Machiavelli: “the government of some gives the most powerful decision-making abilities; the government of many is weak government. Democracy is only a solution to keep as many people as possible satisfied.”

The Celtic Confederation

Fri, 09 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0000

This article was originally written around 2008 and published on Google Knol. It is republished here as a historical document and reflects the author’s ideas at the time of writing.

This is part of the Project Policrateia series.

Introduction

The Celtic Confederation is a proposal for a cultural confederation for the Celtic Nations in Europe. Besides the cultural aspects, economic cooperation and international lobbying — mostly at the European Union — can also become part of the confederation’s tasks. Another aspect worth considering is the development of education and science policy.

United by Lines on the Map, Not Divided

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

This article was originally written on 8 October 2009 and published on blog.luxzenburg.org. It is republished here as a historical document and reflects the author’s ideas at the time of writing.

OpenDemocracy, an open-source knowledge network and think tank on international politics, publishes a compelling essay on borders by Parag Khanna. He gives a tour d’horizon of geopolitics, seen through the lens of infrastructural connections.

A fascinating picture, with many maps. It raises a question for me: what do we make of this, and what does it mean for us? Can we create a world in which we are united by lines on maps — infrastructure, trade, connection — rather than divided by other lines: borders?

Europe's Backward Hinterland

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0000

This article was originally written on 22 April 2008 and published on blog.luxzenburg.org. It is republished here as a historical document and reflects the author’s ideas at the time of writing.

The Dutch like to think of the Netherlands as an enlightened nation — a beacon of civilisation in a sea of outdated, backward ideas. We were, after all, the first to give same-sex couples the right to marry, the first to legalise euthanasia. So we must be progressive! But is this really the case? Are we truly as emancipated as we think?

Wet Feet and Dutch Pride

Sat, 14 Jul 2007 00:00:00 +0000

This article was originally written on 14 July 2007 and published on blog.luxzenburg.org. It is republished here as a historical document and reflects the author’s ideas at the time of writing.

Large parts of the United Kingdom are under water following heavy rainfall. The image reminds me of the Netherlands in 1995, when large parts of Limburg in particular were flooded. Unlike the UK, the Netherlands has since implemented a delta plan for its inland waterways, designed to protect the Dutch interior from flooding for the coming centuries.

Turkey and Democracy

Thu, 14 Jun 2007 00:00:00 +0000

This article was originally written on 14 June 2007 and published on blog.luxzenburg.org. It is republished here as a historical document and reflects the author’s ideas at the time of writing.

A debate is currently raging about the secular republic of Turkey. A new president is being chosen by parliament, in which the religious AK Party holds an absolute majority. In the first round, Gül, the AK Party’s candidate, won. But the constitutional court has declared the elections invalid. The military has already stated it will defend the secular republic by all available means — and last weekend hundreds of thousands of Turks protested against the election of a ‘religious’ president. His wife even wears a headscarf.

The Burqa Ban

Sat, 15 Oct 2005 00:00:00 +0000

This article consists of two separate posts, originally published on 15 October 2005 and 14 March 2007 on blog.luxzenburg.org. They are republished here together as a historical document and reflect the author’s views at those moments.

I. The Burqa Ban (October 2005)

The Dutch parliament has voted in favour of banning the burqa in public spaces. As a Dutch person and as a Muslim, I find myself wondering what the advantages and democratic justification for this ban are.

The French No Is Not the Way Forward

Sun, 15 May 2005 00:00:00 +0000

This article was originally written on 15 May 2005 and published on blog.luxzenburg.org. It is republished here as a historical document and reflects the author’s ideas at the time of writing.

The French non has exposed several problems within the European Union.

First, the democratic deficit. Politicians emphasise that citizens can vote for their national and European representatives, but for most people the Union has remained an invisible entity, even as its powers have risen to unprecedented heights.

US vs China: Hypocrisy

Sun, 15 May 2005 00:00:00 +0000

This article was originally written on 15 May 2005 and published on blog.luxzenburg.org. It is republished here as a historical document and reflects the author’s ideas at the time of writing.

The New York Times is publishing articles from the Council on Foreign Relations about the military threat posed by China. One article describes how China has significantly expanded its military expenditure and capabilities over the past fifteen years — from a basic army to an advanced fighting force that can match the US in defensive power, though its capacity to operate outside China remains limited for now.

Greece, Turkey and the EU

Fri, 15 Apr 2005 00:00:00 +0000

This article was originally written on 15 April 2005 and published on blog.luxzenburg.org. It is republished here as a historical document and reflects the author’s ideas at the time of writing.

The BBC reports that the treatment of minorities and foreigners attempting to enter Greece has been sharply condemned by human rights organisation Amnesty International.

According to Amnesty researcher Olga Demetriou:

“People at the margins of society — asylum seekers, migrants, Roma and members of other minorities — are most likely to be victims of discrimination in all its forms. Usually their attackers are representatives of the state.”

How I Became Muslim

Wed, 15 Dec 2004 00:00:00 +0000

This article was originally written in September 2003 and published on blog.luxzenburg.org in December 2004. It is republished here as a historical document and reflects the author’s experiences at the time of writing.

My interest in Islam began after a trip to India, where I came into contact with an Indian Muslim who became a very close friend of mine. His mother is Dutch and his father is an Indian Muslim. We discussed faith, the values of a good life, and all manner of things related to spirituality on a regular basis. We also talked about our doubts, choices and feelings. All those conversations inspired me enormously.

Jihad or Freedom Struggle

Fri, 15 Oct 2004 00:00:00 +0000

This article was originally written on 15 October 2004 and published on blog.luxzenburg.org. It is republished here as a historical document and reflects the author’s ideas at the time of writing.

I read a short note on Wikipedia about the region of ‘Asir in Saudi Arabia, which included the following passage:

Saudi Arabia annexed ‘Asir, Najran and Jizan from Yemen in 1934, but the culture of the region has more in common with that of Yemen than with the rest of Saudi Arabia. This is most visible in clothing and architecture, which have been adapted to the sometimes heavy rainfall. Moreover, ‘Asir has been much less influenced by the oil boom than the rest of Saudi Arabia, and the modern urban development of cities like Riyadh is entirely absent here. Tribal laws and customs are still exceptionally strong among the population of this region.

A New World

Thu, 12 Dec 1996 00:00:00 +0000

This article was originally written on December 12, 1996 and published on Google Knol. It is republished here as a historical document and reflects the author’s ideas at the time of writing.

This is part of the Project Policrateia series.

The New World is the alternative for a state with a community of citizens and can easily be adopted in the Project Policrateia. The New World will contain anarchistic, communistic, socialistic, altruistic and kibbutzim ideals combined with a strong pacifistic and environmentalist feeling. The community exists out of small colonies (kibbutzim) of approximately 50 persons. The membership is voluntary: if you like the way of life you can join a colony; if you do not like it anymore, you leave. The people make up together some targets and create a constitution in which they put basic rights for all life and all sentient beings. This is to prevent chaos as would otherwise happen with anarchism.

About

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

This is not a blog in the traditional sense. No daily commentary, no news roundups, no personal diary.

Luxzenburg.org is a place for essays. About geopolitics, society, history, and the connections between them that are rarely named. Written from the conviction that most problems of our time do not stand alone — and that they cannot be understood in isolation.

I am Erik van Luxzenburg. By training a social geographer, specialising in political and cultural geography, geopolitics, and macro-history. By nature a systems thinker who struggles with loose pieces. By disposition someone who thinks by writing and talking, not before.