8 Comments

This sounds like so many neoliberal countries -- homelessness, cost of living crises, drift to the right...

I don't know what the solution is, but the strengthening labour movement gives me hope, and so do the pro Palestinian protests all over the globe. People are exerting their power. I hope it can be channeled in a constructive way.

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True, it's happening in different contexts but the pattern is the same. I also find hope in the Palestinian protests, just seeing all that strength in the face of such a hopeless-seeming situation, I can only admire that. Shows you what people are also capable of. Currently working on another post in which I express similar hopes as you do, that this darkness can be channeled in a positive way, will post it in a few days.

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Excellent, Robert! I think we need this sentiment.

I'm working on another post too, that expresses something similar in a different way.

We need to do our best to seize this moment, and try to take it in a positive direction.

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Agreed. Looking forward to reading your post!

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We have observed, if we wanted, how the political agenda has been conducted by short-sighted, destructive patterns and divide and rule mechanisms destroying social cohesion and nature for so many years, even millenia. In times of perpetuous fear and the permanent crisis, we have lived in at least since 9/11, and more recently since Covid, people have been drifting to the far right; which doesn't come to any surprise.

We need a new world that is not based on the extractive and dehumanizing ultra-liberal model, we know all too well. There are innovative think tanks, like the University for the Planet and visionaries, like Ervin Laslow or Annaloes Smitsman, who have already set-up new frameworks, e.g. the Earthwise Constitution. These are very inspiring approaches to mitigate the collaps of the old world, we are currently facing and to provide visions for people who look over the brim of their tea cups...

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The consequences of this model are driving this political instability. Those that look like they might offer solutions come to the forefront. When they cannot deliver (enough) the cycle continues and worsens. Yet there is real potential for change at this moment in time in Dutch politics, in a way that it has not been for quite a while. It will be interesting to see what these results lead to.

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When a political class has nothing but contempt for the average citizen for too long - i.e. being overtly critical of their lifestyle, consumption patterns, traditions, values, aspirations, economic hardship, etc - these electoral results are far from being surprising. This pattern is and will be repeating itself all over the Western world in the years ahead.

On the other hand, I strongly doubt that these new political forces will have the vision, the internal structure or the political fortitude to truly make a difference.

The fundamental cause lies beneath the political level which represents the tip of the iceberg, it spreads accross the cultural institutions at large.

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Yes, these issues bring unpredictability to the whole system, as people look for ways to express their dissatisfaction. When they can't do that with an established party, they will look for something new. In the Netherlands, the relatively low electoral threshold and easy ballot accesz makes it possible for new parties to rise to the stage, and in recent years even supplant more established parties. The main concern is indeed what you mention, can they deliver competent people and make effective policy? It depends, really. Some of the newer parties consist of experienced people, often from more mainstream parties or from certain fielda of expertise. With other parties like the Freedom Party I am less convinced, especially since the party and what its members can do on their own is controlled to a large extent by its leader.

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