The Civil Scientist and the Researcher: A Comparison between Dutch and German Scientists (1750-1850).

Scientific developments in the Netherlands and the (protestant) German areas diverged remarkably in the period 1750-1850. Whereas German science underwent a spectacular development, the sciences in Dutch society appear rather to have lacked vigour. Traditionally, developments in both countries in this period are explained by institutional factors (such as the organisation of the educational system and the universities). In this presentation I will contend that the different social roles of scientists in both areas should be taken into account as well.