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Dutch Austerity 2.0 | 48 comments (48 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)
Re: Yes (4.00 / 9)
No, Dutch society is in principle very bourgeois, left wing parties have only been able to form a majority government by ruling together with the centrist christian parties, either protestant or roman-catholic.

Furthermore the socialist party portray themselves as the true left wing party, the greens are confusing liberalism in society with liberalism in economic policy and Labour is somewhere in between. Also the greenleft party usually derides the socialists and Labour as old-fashioned and like now does not want to co"operate with them, because they themselves are the only true progressive (tm) party.

Or to exaggerate a little, the greens are the student city dwellers, labour the old poor people on the country side, although only in certain parts of the country admittedly, and the socialists the new working poor.

And yes, german politics is kinda like dutch politics.

by Wilfred on Tue May 1st, 2012 at 07:36:55 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Welcome to European Tribune (4.00 / 7)
A depressingly familiar picture.

Last Thursday I attended an event with the Danish greens, where it was explained to them, using small words, that the left needs to have an industrial policy if we are to have a prayer of countering right-wing populism.

Based on the Q&A session afterwards, I would be pleasantly surprised if a third of those present understood anything of what was said. Based on the discussion in the audience following the Q&A session, I would be pleasantly surprised if half of those who understood what the talk said did not know it when they arrived.

Lots and lots of nice people and good will there. But no economic analysis worth the paper it's written on.

- Jake

Friends come and go. Enemies accumulate.

by JakeS (JangoSierra 'at' gmail 'dot' com) on Tue May 1st, 2012 at 01:53:10 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Welcome to European Tribune (none / 0)
Lots and lots of nice people and good will there. But no economic analysis worth the paper it's written on.

Been there, done that. You are a true hero Jake for actually trying to educate people. It's more than I usually have the energy for. Keep up the good work!

Peak oil is not an energy crisis. It is a liquid fuel crisis.

by Starvid on Wed May 9th, 2012 at 07:56:48 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Election Map The Netherlands (none / 0)
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See map for geographic presentation of Election Results 2012. Labour party (PvdA) is well represented in all large cities: Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam, Dordrecht, Utrecht and even in Maastricht. In the rural area, the two northern provinces Friesland and Groningen are very strong Labour (in the past Communist).

"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."

Hasbara is a dead language

by Oui (Oui) on Tue May 1st, 2012 at 05:50:28 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: Yes (none / 1)
Wilfred:

Or to exaggerate a little, the greens are the student city dwellers, labour the old poor people on the country side, although only in certain parts of the country admittedly, and the socialists the new working poor.

Often, I find a description of the groups involved has more predicative power on what a party will do then an analysis of the stated ideology.

Sweden's finest (and perhaps only) collaborative, leftist e-newspaper Synapze.se

by A swedish kind of death on Wed May 2nd, 2012 at 02:22:26 AM EST
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Dutch Austerity 2.0 | 48 comments (48 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)
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