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Dutch King: The Welfare State Is Over
The American left regularly points to the social democracies of northern Europe as templates for a better United States. If only our economic policies were more like those in Sweden, Finland, or The Netherlands, there would be no limit to our success. What they haven’t noticed are the ample flaws of those systems in shown in social stagnation, capital flight, and reduced freedom.
But the most important development our progressives miss is that these famously liberal states are rolling back their safety nets. Over the past decade a center-right coalition in Stockholm has eliminated the worst excesses of Sweden’s welfare state, angry Finns are trying to cut up Greece’s credit cards, and the Dutch monarch has now declared the welfare state of the 20th century dead.
King Willem-Alexander, two years into his reign following the abdication of Queen Beatrix, has called for a “participation society” to replace the outdated system of government handouts. In a televised speech Monday, he asked citizens to take an increasing amount of responsibility for their social and financial health as The Hague slowly retracts taxpayer-funded welfare programs.
“The shift to a ‘participation society’ is especially visible in social security and long-term care,” the king said, reading out to lawmakers a speech written for him by Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s government.
“The classic welfare state of the second half of the 20th century in these areas in particular brought forth arrangements that are unsustainable in their current form.”
The proclamation comes after several years of spending cuts and a weak financial climate. The Dutch economy shrunk by about 1 percent in 2013 and is forecast to grow by a mere 0.5 percent next year. Willem-Alexander noted that the public desire for increased choice and freedom requires increased personal responsibility.
“The necessary reforms take time and demand perseverance,” the king said. But they will “lay the basis for creating jobs and restoring confidence.”
Willem-Alexander said that nowadays, people expect and “want to make their own choices, to arrange their own lives, and take care of each other.”
The ‘participation society’ has been on its way for some time: benefits such as unemployment compensation and subsidies on health care have been regularly pruned for the past decade. The retirement age has been raised to 67.
The king said Tuesday some costs for the care of the elderly, for youth services, and for job retraining after layoffs will now be pushed back to the local level, in order to make them better tailored to local circumstances.
After decades of an over-generous welfare state, common sense is slowly returning to the continent. Soon it may be American conservatives pointing to the European model of balanced budgets, reduced debt, and personal responsibility.
Published in Economics, Foreign Policy
Do you think that when we’re the only ones still doing large-scale welfare the left will suddenly discover American Exceptionalism?
No, the Left does’t want you or anyone else out and about creating unequal financial or career results without government approval.
… as long as you don’t count Dutch kings.
;-)
(I kid, of course. I have zero idea how much the Dutch royal family gets in taxpayer subsidies.)
Although politicians like it when hourly employees get overtime for working more than 8 hours or more than 40.
That means if those people want to work more, they earn more. How – by gollywillikers! – does a good Progressive square this indefensible circle?
Well, I guess I am glad he said it. There probably needs to be a greater collapse of their economy before they can start this “participatory Society”.
Willem-Alexander ’16!
wrong messenger
Well, they’re not the President of an Empire masquerading as a Republic, so as long as they just sell tickets to visit the palace, he’s probably a net gain.
Telling though that the Left points to a number social Democracies of Northern Europe that happen to be monarchies.
Shoot, we’re practically there! Again.
Hey, at least those are are constitutional monarchies!
I kinda like how he calls it “participation society.” It’s probably not wise, yet, to use words like capitalism or market economy.
The Swedes actually got the ball rolling on this back in the 90s. Give them credit. They recognized unsustainability when they saw it and set out to correct it. That’s why when libs tell me to follow the Swedish example I say, “Absolutely! Now let me tell you a bit about the Swedish example: cut spending, cut regulations, reduce debt.”
Will we be able to follow the Swedish example? To recognize reality and take appropriate measures? Only time will tell. But I’m a tad pessimistic.
PS. A bit more on the Swedish example. One of the poorest countries in Europe in the late 19th century, they adopted free market policies and saw an explosion in wealth creation. They preserved their wealth in 20th by 1) maintaining free markets for half a century. 2) avoiding twice the great destroyer of wealth, war. Second half of the century, they “progressed” on to their more advanced third way. With their built up assets they were actually able to maintain it for three or four decades. But, ever practical, when they saw the unsustainability of the welfare state they started their massive scaling back. The scaling back is still a work in progress, but Sweden may in fact become a true model for the US, and indeed the world. If only we are wise enough to notice.
That’s very promising. How come we’re going in the opposite direction in this country?
What? He’s part of the “participation society”. I mean, scepters don’t just wave themselves do they?
Well, it’s not too surprising the House of Orange would back this. (Of course, as a “throne speech” it’s written by his government anyway). One of the great European mercantile families. They rival the House of Windsor in terms of personal wealth.
As long as their colossal demographic mistake of allowing in huge numbers of foreign Muslims with no intent to assimilate doesn’t subsume them first.
Makes one wonder: if this actually gets implemented, might it affect those who want to immigrate to the Netherlands?