To go or not to go Dutch
In The New York Times Magazine of April 30, Russell Shorto, an American living in the Netherlands, opened up a can of worms by praising the Dutch welfare state.
NRC columnist Heleen Mees, a Dutchwoman living in New York, disagrees with Shorto. Mees recently published a book, Between Greed And Desire: The World Between Wall Street And Main Street, in which she argues that welfare states like the Netherlands would do well to look at opportunity-based societies like New York for inspiration.
What do you think? Are you an American living in the Netherlands, or a Dutch person living in New York? Do you think the Dutch welfare state is the humane solution, and the American system is brutal? Or is it the welfare state that’s out of control, overtaxing people and stifling their potential for growth?
Friday 22 May 2009, 16:36
Helen Mees correctly points out that, “The Dutch welfare state isn’t as beneficial to low-skilled immigrants…” which begs the question. Why does the Dutch Government permit low-skilled immigrants to come to the Netherlands at all? Of what possible benefit are these people to Dutch society or the Dutch economy?
They refuse to acculturate, refuse to learn the language & expect Dutch society to change to accommodate their religious prejudices.
Friday 22 May 2009, 17:07
I like Mr. Shorto’s book about New York. One of the things it made clear to me that 400 years ago it was already a better place to live in than Holland and I thus tend to agree with Ms.Mees. I tried Holland three times after my schools in fifty years and two years was the maximum each time.Taxes were definitely reasons not to stay longer than necessary, the other reason was that the place was full of these damn Dutchmen, like myself.Admittedly since Den Uijl we tried to do something about it with Turcs and what have you, but still.
Friday 22 May 2009, 18:06
Venlo,May 22th 2009.The Netherlands.
I am 65 years old. I agree with Heleen Mees , that the so-called’Welfare State’ has runned out of control. What we call ‘welfare’ is built on enormous debt for future generations. One can see that the ‘ welfare’ has victimised already the younger generations.There results in class are downgrading each year. The gap between the Haves and Havenots widens each year as well !The motivation of large groups of youngsters evaporates . I mention here all groups,its true, that so-called youngsters of esspecially African and Turkisch emigrants outnumber others.Imagine.We have around 200.000 youngsters with a handicap.They will never find a job in real terms. The state gives them there monthly rations all their long lives.In fact in the so-called ‘Welfare State’ Netherlands more than one and a half million persons of the work force are handicapped by one way or the other. The Gouverment keeps this numbers out of the official work numbers , in my view manipulates numbers,so all looks fine!No and No. This kind of ‘Welfare State’ has no future. How can a country have a future as its citizens are fed from their birth to death without taking care for themselves except to take care about their monthly payment cheque? I am convinced that esspecially Western Europe is doomed by this kind of in fact NON Welfare.We cannot compete with the New Comers because of lack of personal initiatives taken from us by the Welfarers.
Welfare is a great possesion , but only, if the receivers know that they have created it with their own hands .
I feel sorry for the youth of Western Europe.
Thank you
Herman Roeffen
Friday 22 May 2009, 21:08
I used to live in The Netherlands, and I think that Shorto’s NYT article was quite accurate. I would add two things.
First, Shorto talks about the benefits that poor people receive, but he only talks about this from the perspective of the poor. There is another perspective: that of someone else walking down the street. It is nice to walk down the street and not find beggars (and to know that this is because those people were given money–unlike in, say, Beijing, where the police will take them away). In New York City, there are beggars, and their predicament makes the city less pleasant.
Second, too many people in The Netherlands lack passion. For example, watch an international football game with The Netherlands versus almost any other country: look at how the Dutch players react when they score a goal and compare that with how the players on the opposing team react when they score a goal–the Dutch team has less passion. Frankly, I found less passion with many of the girls that I met too (sorry); I also found some Dutch girls drawn to me specifically because I am more passionate about life than most Dutch men. Similarly, when talking with people, there is rarely a conversation with much passion.
Saturday 23 May 2009, 13:34
I live in a state, in the United States of America, where the most vulnerable are given “Short-Shrift” when it comes to assistance; but I am also aware that in California, where everyone is given assistance, the state is currently bankrupt, and the voters have had enough. The consequences of the non-assistance in my state, and the “Nanny-State” in California, are about to be played out. I will watch both, rather grimly I fear.
Fence-Sitter? No, I am a “Liberterian” I suppose, but with a twist. Everyone according to their talents, except when assistance is clearly merited. Compassion does not have to trump innovation … and vice-versa.
Danke, mein frau und herrn.
Sunday 24 May 2009, 21:26
I think that what Russell Shorto forgets to mention is that the Netherlands is a very expensive country to live in. An expat with expat benefits would hardly feel the financial crunch of consumer goods prices so any extra money coming in from the social security system is a bonus! But for Dutch families of modest means (or one income families) who receive benefits such as these, who spend for food, clothes, insurance and pay for mortgage in Euros and do not have the benefit of currency conversion, the amounts from the social security is at best, a light helping hand very far from being a safety net. That said, my view of this sort of welfare system (as an outsider living in the Netherlands) is that it attracts and breeds all sorts of people who intend to squeeze every penny out without giving any in return, the end result being an unmotivated work force composed of Dutch and non Dutch alike, and higher tax burdens on working people so that the Dutch government can make its payment to the part of the population that doesn’t. There will come a time (if it hasn’t already), that this system will be far too expensive for the government to maintain and will start cutting benefits to the detriment of the present working population who would have paid so much in taxes to get so little in return in the future when they grow old and need their benefits. Frankly, it would be cheaper to live in the US then or anywhere else when this time comes, than in the home country. That is, if they managed to save anything in the first place and the government hasn’t scrapped out the benefits because there isn’t enough taxpayers to get funds from!
Monday 25 May 2009, 10:17
Heleen Mees forgets to mention that unemployment is currently a lot lower in the Netherlands than in the United States. It’s 8.9% in the US vs 2.8% in Holland. Mees leaves the impression that it’s the other way round.
She also focuses on “immigrants” rather than “minorities” which in the Netherlands are almost identical concepts but in the US are not. Simply put: the Dutch welfare state is not responsible for higher unemployment and incarceration rates among African-Americans in the United States.
In my opinion Mees states as fact that the Dutch welfare state “suffocates” new immigrants without offering proof. History is filled with examples of societies having trouble dealing with immigrants from the Goths on down, none of which had anything to do with “kinderbijslag”.
Finally, a few questions about Mees’piece:
- If the marginal tax rate is 52%, how can Mees claim “a marginal tax rate of over 55 percent on every euro earned”? I have never paid more than 52%.
- Mees mentions the 19 percent value added tax “on all goods and services”. This is not true. The VAT for food is 6%, and for some products and services (medical, financial transactions etc) the VAT is 0%.
- A man has tried to kill the Queen. And that’s related to immigrants or the welfare state in what way? By including this totally unrelated incident I think Mees tries to prove too much.
Monday 25 May 2009, 11:12
Lethargic would be the word to use. People don’t want to because they don’t have to. (this would be the answer to most problems with the welfare system in place in NL)
btw I am dutch
Monday 25 May 2009, 18:02
Despite the wonderful weather, you don’t want to be a pedestrian in Los Angeles, because of all the beggars. I agree with Douglas (#4) that the situation is much better in the Dutch cities, and it doesn’t stop at beggars. There many no-go areas in American cities, because of crime. I live in one of Amsterdam’s most notorious boroughs, but if I compare the situation here with the rougher parts of LA, I live in a paradise of safety, brotherhood, love and peace between all social classes, religions, races and sexual orientations. The Dutch media paint a very positive picture of the States, as a country of incurable optimism, but hurricane Katrina exposed the extreme selfishness and barbarism, on the dark side of that same American coin. The Dutch should praise themselves lucky.
I agree with Russell Shorto, also in his criticism of Dutch opening hours: “I challenge you to find anything open 24 hours a day in this supposedly world-class city.” Indeed. Why has Holland not embraced the 24-hour economy yet? And why oh why does everything have to come to a standstill on Sundays? Nobody believes that the world was created in 6 days anymore. If our government wants to give the economy a boost, the first thing they should do is abolish that ridiculous and inappropriate anachronism of the Christian Sabbath. It inhibits self help, enterprise and employment much more than the welfare system.
But that isn´t to say there is nothing wrong with the Dutch welfare system. The state does its utmost best not to patronize the poor, by giving them money, instead compensation in kind, but the requirements for these money handouts are too tight and too cumbersome for efficiency, causing many in real need to miss the boat, while encouraging others to lie and abuse the system. It would be better to give people rent rebates, free health care, subsidised clothes, food and schoolbooks than to give money. Many should be able to receive these benefits in kind, and they should be encouraged to earn money on the side, instead of punishing them for taking badly paid jobs or for working on short term projects, by cutting them off from all state help.
Monday 25 May 2009, 18:41
Both writers do make some points. The Dutch welfare state does incur risks. But advantages are significant. F.i. health care insurance in the Netherlands guarantees everyone basic health care, whereas American citizens are obliged to insure themselves at ridiculous rates or go (‘free’) to an Emergency Ward with advanced cancer etc.
As I see it the Dutch system still has more advantages than disadvantages. Dutch welfare has in the past 8 years been subjected to significant cuts.
The effort a person must go to, in order to get some welfare has increased tenfold. Also the pressure from social insurance agencies on people with benefits to undergo rehabilitation (on pain of reduction of benefits) is very high.
All in all there is more compassion in the Netherlands.
I wonder if the notion that passion is somewhat lacking from Dutch people can be generalized over all of the population. It must be very much a personal asset. In contacts with Americans some ‘phony’ passion is sometimes evident (‘who are you, what are you doing and what do you earn’, and then the conversation is over), but I would hesitate to ascribe this phenomenon to all Americans. This cannot be true.
Also I think the Dutch should put more competition in their education instead of egalitarian entry for everyone with meager results in pre-schooling. A move towards this end has already been made in some universities in providing ‘top quality’ scholarships.
Thank you for your attention
Monday 25 May 2009, 19:05
To WP200:
Thanks for your comments. Forget about Floyd Norris’ piece in The New York Times. The unemployment rate in the Netherlands currently stands at 4.6% (source: Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek). Then there are a lot of people who receive other kinds of benefits (WAO, WAZ, Wajong, ABW, WWB, IOAW, IOAZ et cetera).
In September 2005 more than 1.7 mln people age 15 to 65 received benefits. If the crisis gets well underway, and it looks like it does, it will soon be 2 mln people of working age receiving benefits. That’s more than 25% of the total labor force (source: Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek).
Regarding your questions:
- The 55% rate is including social security contributions (source: Centraal Planbureau);
- There is no reason to assume that the suicide attack on April 30, aimed at the royal family, was unrelated to the political climate in the Netherlands in general and Geert Wilders’ criticism of queen Beatrix in particular.
Best,
Heleen Mees
Tuesday 26 May 2009, 9:59
So full employment is our goal, our holy grail almost? Is there a figure which could become a universal benchmark how a society can prosper without all becoming workaholics…
Hell no!
Fact is that our total output over the last hundred years has grown thousendfold: enough for everyone to be fed and have a good life, I imagine. Famines, wars and other disasters show us that a thousendfold industrial growth isn’t enough. We are too greedy, cause of too much human suffering…
Sunday 31 May 2009, 12:18
I want to thank all those who made comments. I found them extremely interesting indeed. Having lived in the Netherlands for nearly 20 years, I tend to agree that the welfare system breeds a certain passivity. On the other hand, I find that the Dutch -generally speaking- behave in a more intelligent fashion than Americans. So their values are preferable to me.
Monday 1 June 2009, 17:24
Ms. Mees,
I’m sorry but I have to disagree. First of all, I won’t forget about Floyd Norris’ piece in the NYT. It says:
Because countries calculate unemployment rates differently, the rates used in the accompanying graph are the harmonized rates calculated by Eurostat, the European Union’s statistical agency. Harmonization does not change the American rate, but does affect some other rates.
The 2.8% rate of unemployment for Holland is the rate one gets when calculated in the same way as the US rate. If you want to compare two sets of data it’s the logical thing to use comparable sets of data. That doesn’t mean the CBS number is unreliable, it’s just not comparable.
Then you claim “there are a lot of people who receive other kinds of benefits (WAO, WAZ, Wajong, ABW, WWB, IOAW, IOAZ et cetera).”.
This is undoubtedly true, but when you look at the Eurostat data you’ll find that for 2007 (the latest year on which data are available) the employment rate in Holland was 77.2% versus 71.7% in the USA. A couple of things that cause this diffence:
(1) Lots of people retire early in the Netherlands (workforce participation age 60-65 is about 30-35%) and those people are no longer counted in the employment rate. A lot of them receive some sort of benefit to help them retire early. But even though they are “of working age”, these people have retired and are no longer part of the workforce. You seem to think that this is a bad thing, when people who want to stop working can do just that.
(2) “Other kinds of benefits”. This basically means people who can’t work because they have to cope with chronic disease. It’s true that these benefits have been abused in the past by companies to let go of workers without formally firing them, but this is an old problem. The rules have been changed, the number of benefits has already dropped by ca. 25% and to suggest that in this downturn companies will once again massively use the WAO to get rid of workers seems a bit silly. But worse, by simply naming all recipients of these benefits as “unemployed” surely you are painting with too broad a brush. My wife is self-employed, she received WAZ during and after pregnancy. As well she should, having paid the premiums. Is she a slacker? I work as a doctor, and I meet hundreds of patients who in my view deserve every penny they get. Not all recipients of benefits are slackers who ought to be counted as unemployed.
(3) It bears repeating: unemployment is currently a lot lower in the Netherlands than in the United States. It’s 8.9% in the US vs 2.8% in Holland. You argue that there is hidden unemployment in Holland. Well, is it enough to make Holland look a lot worse than the US? Not just as bad, but a lot worse? Because that is your original claim. I very much doubt it.
(4) - There is no reason to assume that the suicide attack on April 30, aimed at the royal family, was unrelated to the political climate in the Netherlands in general and Geert Wilders’ criticism of queen Beatrix in particular.
I’m sorry but this is ridiculous. There is absolutely no evidence on the motivations of the perpetrator. None. His parents have been interviewed and they were stumped as to why he did it.
Thursday 4 June 2009, 11:17
To wp200:
The Netherlands always pride themselves in their excellent health care system, especially when compared to the United States. Then how can it be possible that so many people of working age are unfit to work? The percentage of people on disability benefits is much higher here than elsewhere. Anyway, if Geert Wilders’ PVV holds most seats in Dutch parliament any time soon, you only have yourself to blame.
Thursday 4 June 2009, 23:37
The Netherlands always pride themselves in their excellent health care system, especially when compared to the United States.
Well, no. I’m a doctor and there is plenty of room for improvement in the Netherlands. I doubt the mock-capitalism of DBC-coding (diagnose behandelcombinaties) will succeed in improving quality and cost-control (my guess is that the system will be abused by greedy health care providers and drown everyone in red tape). But yes, universal health insurance (wether Dutch or otherwise) is better than the current non-universal US system.
Then how can it be possible that so many people of working age are unfit to work? The percentage of people on disability benefits is much higher here than elsewhere.
On the odd chance of repeating myself: the system was open to abuse, and was abused, to “fire” workers because disability benefits are higher and last longer than unemployment benefits. For workers age 55-65 this was a great way to retire early, for companies it was a great way to downsize (their workers liked it). For the government, it was expensive. This avenue has been closed and is no longer an option in the current crisis. Once these folks hit 65 they will shift from disability benefits to social security. I am not defending past abuse, it’s wrong and that’s why it has been stopped. I am merely putting the numbers in context. A lot of “disability” is de facto early retirement, and you don’t count retirees as part of the workforce anymore than you count disabled people. Again, the number of WAO recipients has dropped by appr. 25% since 2003.
Now, as for young people on disability benefits, clearly the way the Dutch system has been stupidly designed and we should look around for a smarter way of levelling the playing field for people with chronic ailments. But just because the system can be gamed doesn’t mean that everybody who gets benefits is gaming the system.
To get from higher official unemployment in the US to supposedly far, far higher unemployment in Holland you discard comparable Eurostat data on both countries for CBS data (just because the number suits your purpose), then count all recipients of all disability benefits (including for instance maternity leave, those with partial benefits and a part-time job, etc etc) in Holland as unemployed as if none of them rightfully receive benefits, and you do all this to prove that the Dutch system “causes” problems with minorities. Problems you then compare unfavorably with the US which you can only do by ignoring African-Americans because they aren’t “immigrants”.
Anyway, if Geert Wilders’ PVV holds most seats in Dutch parliament any time soon, you only have yourself to blame.
Please stop embarrasing yourself.
Friday 5 June 2009, 6:51
I’ve always had one golden expat rule – when I moved from the Netherlands to the UK, in 1979, then from the UK to the United States, in 1985: don’t compare. Especially not The Netherlands and the United States. The two just aren’t comparable, and I am even more convinced of that now that I live in redneck Virginia, having spent much of my career in downstate New York. The parking lot in front of my office is cleaned by a chain gang, the county jail being across the street, this all within three or so miles from the White House. Show me something similar near The Hague, where I grew up, and we’ll talk.
Friday 5 June 2009, 13:48
To Menno Aartsen:
I’m not comparing the Netherlands to the United States but rather to New York. New York and the Netherlands can both learn a great deal from one and other. Anyway, Barack Obama held an inspiring speech yesterday in Cairo, building bridges with the Muslim world while Geert Wilders’ PVV won the elections for European parliament big time.
Sunday 7 June 2009, 21:31
First, vacation money removed from your paycheck, then giveb BACK to you. Mr. Shorto forgot to mention this. My Dutch wife here in Amrica reminded me of this. Government as piggy bank. Second, true acculturation through low income jobs is afforded to those working as a sort of immersion process. The alienation created by the welfare state in the Netherlands not only marginalizes immigrants, but also runs contrary to the policy of Imburgering that the Dutch want to promote. Immigrants in America go through a hands on Imburgering in a low income workforce where they not only learn the language, but learn to strive for the goodies they see around them; Whether working at a gym or a chicken plant. There is no carrot only stick in the Dutch system that I can see. In fact the generous welfare system IS a stick. It beats you down. It fosters segrgation and represses those who might wish to join the Dutch club in the name of caring. My Dutch wife marvels at the fact that in America if she works harder she gets more goodies and she sees a direct correlation between her productivity and her reward. She feels her talent is appreciated and with good reason. She came here with a big brain, underappreciated in the Netherlands and is doing very well for herself here in the US. Again, give people a low income wage system, surrounded by goodies and you can do away with the uselss imburgering protocol that keeps immigrants at arms lenfht with one hand, and tries to pull them cloer with the other. SHOW them the Dutch dream and they will work for it, learn the language and embrace the culture. BTW I have lived in the Netherlands and I think the fallacy of “multiculturalism” and “social welfare” are recently being shown for what they really are. Paid submission.
Thursday 11 June 2009, 14:40
John Baker Quote:My Dutch wife marvels at the fact that in America if she works harder she gets more goodies and she sees a direct correlation between her productivity and her reward. She feels her talent is appreciated and with good reason. She came here with a big brain, underappreciated in the Netherlands and is doing very well for herself here in the US. Again, give people a low income wage system, surrounded by goodies and you can do away with the uselss imburgering protocol that keeps immigrants at arms lenfht with one hand, and tries to pull them cloer with the other. SHOW them the Dutch dream and they will work for it, learn the language and embrace the culture. BTW I have lived in the Netherlands and I think the fallacy of “multiculturalism” and “social welfare” are recently being shown for what they really are. Paid submission.
Friday 12 June 2009, 15:44
When I tried to write was that social welfare and multiculturalism keeps immigrants at arms length while imburgering pulls them closer. Sorry if i wasn’t more clear i am not a writer. In any case, I think there is an inherent mixed message in that system saying do one thing (imburgering (“join us”)) and implies another (multiculturalism and excessive social welfare (“stay in your place”)).
Thursday 2 July 2009, 8:42
I think it’s really easy for Shorto to think so admiringly of the Dutch welfare state in his comfy job at the John Adam’s institute. I for one have regretted my decision to leave New York to come here with my husband eleven years ago. In New York I had many, many very good opportunities for work and for furthering my education. I was in demand, and getting constant offers. All of that dried up the minute I came here. In New York, when I sent my resume out, I’d get a reply. Head hunters there want to meet with you, see you, see what they can do to get you working. Here that just doesn’t happen. I just get emails three years later asking if I still want to be kept in the system. If you don’t fit into some neat little box, you can forget about it. I left everything behind, and have gotten the short end of the stick in exchange. Even if my husband’s company earns six digits, we pay so much tax, we can’t even move into a reasonably sized house. He works eighty hour weeks, and we’re still crowded into a one bedroom house. Thank goodness the train is nearby, because we can’t afford a car. It remains the choice between visiting my family in the US, or fixing up a tiny, deteriorating house with a leaking roof, drafty windows, and a rotting front door. Needless to say, I have chosen to see my relatives. Even though I speak fluent Dutch, and have worked as a translator, I can’t earn a decent income. People at my children’s Dutch school shun me. I sit there everyday alone like a pariah while other parents chat it up with each other. Some of my ancestors are even Dutch! People are loath to even say hello. Many of the teachers are the same. I’m left wondering if it’s the VOC PVV mentality. It’s very distressing. Our kids are very social, but they still almost never get invited to birthday parties. In the States people are glad to meet someone from another culture. When we visit, people ask my husband where he’s from, and they’re interested. Here I’m like the American freak everywhere I go. I even became Dutch through my husband (maintaining my American citizenship) five years ago. I went from the land of opportunity to the land of no opportunity, and it’s a painful, regrettable choice.
Friday 17 July 2009, 9:14
Reading the magazine article about Going Dutch evoked the same emotions as any other time I learn more about Europe: Pure, unadulterated jealousy. The main theme of the article is of course comparing the American sense of individualism to the European (and even more so Dutch) sense of collectivism. My love of fried food and baseball aside, I think that, unfortunately, my core beliefs fall more into the European side of this particular dichotomy. Let’s consider the main points of my raging jealousy regarding the advantages of Europe over the USA:
- Access to Health Care
-Access to Higher Education
-Population centered in safe, livable, culturally vibrant cities
-Superior public transport
Well, as it turns out, I do have health insurance. I have also managed to weasel my way into a quite respectable institution of higher learning. Furthermore, I’m pretty sure that New York City, my place of residence, is safe, livable, and culturally vibrant (to say the least). And yes, I have twenty-four hour access to the most extensive rapid transit system in the world.
However, to be satisfied with my living conditions would represent an individualistic attitude, which my values simply cannot mesh with. As we know, a broad swath of Americans are simply financially barred from Health Care and Higher Education, or are forced to make undue sacrifices in order to achieve what should be a given in a modern, developed society. And don’t get me started on safe, livable, culturally vibrant cities. Most Americans either live in culturally bankrupt suburbs, or inner-city ghettos which are infested with crime and drugs. Public transport? Ha! More like Poverty Transport! Consider people like my dad, who would never set foot on a public bus. He was raised in, and continues to live in, a society which separates people by economic class in all facets of life, especially transportation. Taking the bus means that you cannot afford a car. It means that you have not achieved a certain level of personal success, and are thus a marginalized member of society.
The last page and a half of the article is intended to rebut the author’s seemingly pro-Dutch bias. He presents the American drive to succeed and stand out as a redeeming quality, which I must embarrassingly admit that I subscribe to (you’re damn right that I want to get the best degree at the best institution in the best city possible!). However, I genuinely disagree with the idea that social solidarity and individual upward mobility are mutually exclusive. This thesis is best outlined in Christopher Lasch’s “The Revolt of the Elites: And the Betrayal of Democracy.” He argues that a system in which one may gain unlimited wealth is not necessarily a bad thing, so long as the extent to which monetary wealth affects one’s position in society at large is minimized. In other words, it is not necessary to limit the amount of wealth one may accumulate, only the consequences of having such wealth (or lack thereof).
Tying this back to my major pet peeves regarding North America, consider the example of transportation. In New York City and Europe, everyone has the same ability to move about their physical surroundings, regardless of their personal wealth. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a millionare or a bum: A 6 train is a 6 train. That 6 train is going to get stuck behind a bunch of trains at Grand Central during rush hour, and there’s not a damn thing your bank account can do about it. Everyone is going to pay $2.25 per ride (or $89 per month, less governmental subsidies for the poor). As I already noted, in most American cities, it does not work like this. The rich guy is going to sit comfortably driving his luxury sedan on the expressway (the construction of which most likely caused irreparable harm to the urban fabric of–you guessed it–poor neighborhoods!), and the poor guy is going to sit on a dangerous street corner waiting for an hour for a bus that may never come (why would anyone have any political interest in improving public transport? It’s only used by poor people who have little to no political clout!). It extends to education the same way, of course. In Europe, everyone has the same chance to go to the same universities, regardless of their wealth. Rich people in Europe may be able to afford nicer shoes or a nicer apartment, but everyone has equal access to the basic fruits of a modern society, namely transportation, health care, and education.
Of course we’re now officially at the point where the redneck steps away from his pickup truck, strokes his shotgun, and says, “Like it, or leave it.” My rebuttal is simply: I’m not European, therefore I cannot move to Europe. Cultural differences run much deeper than health insurance and subways. And from here we open ourselves to a tangent about what I love and hate about Europeans–but I won’t digress. That’s outside the scope of this essay.
So yes, I am increadibly jealous of Europe for many reasons, and unfortunately there’s not a damn thing I can do about it. If anything, the best I can do is to continue living the life I live (i.e. more cyclists on the streets creates pressure for more cycle-friendly infrastructure, more transit riders creates a need for improved transit systems, more urban dwellers increases the demand for urban housing, thus improving the quality of our cities… etc…).
…And this is why I miss English class!
Now if you’ll excuse me, I must be off to class, enroute to which I will continue my quest to find the best chocolate chip cookie in the world (as we know, the world extends roughly below fourteenth street, between the Hudson and East rivers). Oh yeah… chocolate chip cookies… take THAT, Europe!!!
Tuesday 4 August 2009, 1:45
It’s not very often, while I am randomly googling for information about methods how my asian expatriate boss can claim money from the dutch government for his wife while she’s staying over in the Netherlands, that I stumbe on some weblog which catches my intrest that much, it makes me read it all out and i realise again how contradictory I can be.
As born and (only partialy) raised true Dutchman i feel like defending every single anti-Dutch comment “pasionately”. Yet, shockingly coming to terms with the fact that I am actualy about to cooperate on cheating my own very pre-utopian state, I can only just rationalise it all.
We are all just arguing how a few not or less important creations of our cultural differences establish themselves and while comparing them, losing eye of the full social and cultural infrastructure where it was all built upon. I don’t think there is a good or bad one way or the other. Every good social system has it’s bad side and visa versa. It all just depends on what things are liked best by mayority of the local society, which will stay and evolve further to it’s own uniqueness. Though most people rather just tend to see the bad side, and preferably only those of others.
As I child, while other children were pasting breadcrums on the globe to solve hunger in Africa, i once had the thought that it would in some way be nice to life in Africa and only have to think about life’s primairy needs. So simple and narrow. All our western luxury problems, complexity, focus on detail-society, which deverts attention away from what we all just really need, happynes. Rational thinking, I did convince myself to think otherwise. Living in Africa does definatly have it’s bad sides. Yet, i never really could convince myself emotinally. I keep picturing myself as a child not really appricating all expensive toys i would get for a birthday compared to a little african child who only gets a plastic bag for his birthday. He will fill with up with straw and use as a ball, having the time of his life.
I am also endlessly jealous of America, of it’s enormous 24h opened wallmarts with endless choice of chocolate chip cookies and beef Jerkey. But if i would move to the US, I would take it all for granted quickly again and probably idealise the Netherlands again.
All desire most what they don’t have (especially when others do have it) Jealousy… contradiction… I support socialism while i drive to my job at a corporatocratian muli-national every day in my oversized BMW.
Friday 7 August 2009, 7:23
To Heleen Mees: I am not sure what the purpose would be of comparing New York (State? City?) with The Netherlands. I lived and worked in Manhattan and Westchester County for almost seventeen years, and was, while there, working on telecommunications infrastructure development both downstate and upstate, and I cannot imagine two more disparate areas. I’ve compared New Hampshire or Vermont with The Netherlands, in lectures, but never New York, or even my current home state, Virginia.
When I hear of the difficulties I hear my own staff and my colleagues face, here in the US, as far as health coverage and children’s education are concerned – all employed, well paid Americans -, and compare them with what I hear from my relatives in The Netherlands… I admire the way Americans cope, but the system here does not take care of a large proportion of the tax payers at all. I can tell you from my personal experience that if I did not have lifetime health insurance, courtesy of my employer, and be relegated to COBRA, I would seriously consider moving back to Europe. I am very much with Mr. Shorto on this.
Tuesday 18 August 2009, 2:31
To Menno Aartsen:
I never set US healthcare as an example for the Netherlands. My focus has been on labor market and diversity policies. Healthcare in the States sure is a big failure, as everybody knows by now. Since the Dutch health care system costs less per capita than the American system you can implement the labor market and diversity policies without having to cut healthcare. The OECD is very critical of the Dutch school system, since it increases the differences between children coming from different social classes.
By the way, I don’t support the death penalty in case you wondered.