According to the latest research by the Social and Cultural Planning Office (SCP), Dutch people have become less fearful, more satisfied with their living situation and more optimistic about the growing economy. Dutch citizens are satisfied. Is it a coincidence that the outcome of this SCP investigation is announced just before the presentation of the 2008 budget on Budget Day? Is the SCP set up to conduct propaganda for the government?
SCP: Dutch people more satisfied and optimistic.
According to the latest research by the Social and Cultural Planning Office (SCP), Dutch people have become less fearful, more satisfied with their living situation and more optimistic about the growing economy. After the attacks on September 11, 2001, the murder of Pim Fortuyn and the murder of Theo van Gogh, the feelings of the Dutch had changed significantly. But the conclusion of the most recent SCP research is: 80% of Dutch people call themselves happy and 80% of Dutch people have confidence in the future. Is it a coincidence that the outcome of this investigation is announced by the SCP a few days before the presentation of the 2008 budget on Budget Day?
Social and Cultural Planning Office
The Social and Cultural Planning Office was established by Royal Decree of March 30, 1973. The Office’s tasks are:
- a. to conduct scientific explorations with the aim of arriving at a coherent description of the situation of social and cultural well-being in this country and of the developments to be expected in this area
- b. to contribute to a responsible choice of policy goals, as well as indicating the advantages and disadvantages of the different ways to achieve these goals
- c. to acquire information regarding the implementation of interdepartmental policies in the field of social and cultural well-being, in order to enable the evaluation of this implementation
The Bureau carries out its task in particular where problems are involved that affect the policy of more than one department. The Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport – as coordinating minister for social and cultural well-being – is responsible for the policy to be pursued by the Social and Cultural Planning Office. On the main issues
of this policy, the minister consults with the Minister of General Affairs, Justice, the Interior and Kingdom Relations, Education, Culture and Science, Finance, Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment, Economic Affairs, of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, of Social Affairs and Employment.
The Social and Cultural Planning Office therefore works on behalf of the ministers of the Netherlands; The Cabinet.
The following is important to the Cabinet:
Presentation of the 2008 budget on Budget Day, September 18, 2007.
The cabinet has unanimously reached an agreement regarding the 2008 budget. The budget for 2008 will be presented on Budget Day, September 18, 2007. After some facts from this budget have been leaked, the conclusion seems to have far-reaching consequences for Dutch citizens. We will all pay more taxes and the burden will increase for everyone, despite the growing economy and the Cabinet’s exorbitant spending pattern. A pleasant prospect? Strangely enough, the government seems to be able to create support again and again. What is the role of a study, as instituted by the Social and Cultural Planning Office, the conclusion of which will be presented today – a few days before Budget Day?
Report: The social state of the Netherlands 2007.
Today the report ‘The social state of the Netherlands 2007’ was presented by the Social and Cultural Planning Office. According to the SCP, the report answers questions such as:
- How are the Dutch people doing?
- Has there been an improvement in income, have more people found work, are we less affected by crime and are we living better?
- Is the education level of the Dutch population increasing or decreasing; how healthy are we, and what about social cohesion in the Netherlands? For example, are we seeing an increase or decrease in political participation and volunteer work?
- How do they value their existence, how satisfied are they with their life in general, or with specific aspects of their living situation? How do they value their health, work and circle of friends; how comfortable do they feel in Dutch society?
According to the SCP, the confidence of the population in society and in the government in particular is also discussed. In order to assess the current social situation, comparisons would be made with developments over the past ten years .
Attention would also have been paid to the living situation of individual groups. According to the SCP, the reason for this is the fact that the possibilities, abilities and preferences of different population groups, young and old, men and women, disabled and non-disabled, native and immigrant, poor and rich, differ in terms of how their lives are organized.
The SCP Press Release regarding the report.
The Dutch are doing better again
- The share of Dutch people who are satisfied with the government increased from 48% in 2004 to 67% in 2006.
In 2006, 82% of Dutch people indicated that they were happy or very happy.
- The labor force participation rate of the working population (the share of Dutch people aged 15-65 who have a job) increased from 63% in 2004 to 65% in 2006. Among women this percentage rose to 56% in 2006, among the elderly to 42%.
- In the group of Dutch people born in the years 1975-1979, the percentage of highly educated women is higher than that of men (in 2005 men: 32%, women: 38%).
- In 2006, 64% of the population was of the opinion that ‘crime has been increasing recently’, in 1995 that share was still 86%.
- In 2006, 41% of the population thought that there were too many foreigners living in the Netherlands. In 2000 this share was still 51%.
- The pass percentages for the final exam have increased in HAVO from 84% in 1995 to 90% in 2005, in VWO from 87% in 1995 to 94% in 2005.
- Between 1995 and 2005, the average ‘real’ television viewing time fell from 12.4 to 10.8 hours per week. The time that Dutch people spend on the computer every week (online and offline) increased from 0.9 to 3.8 hours during that period.
- Family-forming households are increasingly acquiring a single-family home; elderly people continue to live in single-family homes longer than before.
If you read the press release calmly and let it sink in, you may experience the different conclusions and varying benchmarks as striking. What is the actual intention of such a report? What could possibly be hidden behind the chosen presentation date? Is SCP’s conclusion an actual representation of reality? Do you experience your existence in the Netherlands, as described by the SCP?
Pure propaganda?
The Social and Cultural Planning Office and its tasks established by Royal Decree serve the government and contribute to creating support for, among other things, the 2008 budget?
- Are the Dutch citizens satisfied and optimistic?
- Are Dutch citizens satisfied with the government?
- Do Dutch citizens feel more safe in the Netherlands than ever before?
- Do fewer citizens think that ‘crime has been increasing lately’?
- Do fewer citizens think that too many foreigners live in the Netherlands?
- Have you been asked for your opinion by the SCP? What are your answers to the SCP’s questions?
Are such studies financed by the government with taxpayers’ money?
Does the Dutch citizen pay for a report that should create support, for a budget and a policy of a government that throws around money, and then make the Dutch citizen pay extra taxes in 2008?