Crisis on a crisis plan
by
Marcel Van Silfhout |
The economic rescue plan envisages about 6 billion euros in investment
Probably it is the most used word these days: crisis. This is definitely the case for The Netherlands. For weeks the Dutch Government had worked in secrecy on a master plan to overcome the economic catastrophe caused by the global credit crunch. The outcome was presented last week as the ‘crisis plan.’ It was a disaster in itself. Instead of giving hope for better days, the cabinet faced angry protests, dissentions and internal squabbles. Why? Because the Dutch will have to work longer: up to 67 years instead of 65. Whatever caused the financial meltdown, the people will have to pay the bill.
Many comparisons have been made to find words or descriptions of what is happening to society in these days of confusion and anger. We have heard of The Great Depression of 1929 and the 1789 French Revolution. We have to coin a word for the current crisis. If we look at the etymology of the word crisis, it comes from Greek language. This word, Krinein, means judgement, distinguish, separate and decision. Perhaps we can say ‘a moment of truth.’ A moment in which we have to make choices that will have great influence on our future.
Big words? Yes. But still one can ask if they are big enough to understand the essence of what it’s all about today. If one looks at the so-called stimulus package offered by the Dutch government – a coalition of Christian Democrats, Labour and the Christian Orthodox Christen Unie — the conclusion can only be: Is this what they negotiated for in highest secrecy? Leading Dutch newspaper NRC Handelsblad, in an article, sarcastically asked whether the crisis plan is “a safe compromise between parties who have been taking ideological pot shots at each other for the past three weeks at the expense of any really courageous measures.” In other words, it is too little too late.
The economic rescue plan envisages about 6 billion euros in investment in 2009 and 2010 and then a 5 billion euro cuts from 2011 if the economy recovers. The money will go to employment, education, research and infrastructure. On the list we find issues like subsidising environmentally-friendly houses and incentives for people to have their old cars destroyed and replaced by cleaner new cars.
But, and this is a big but, the plan also includes 5 billion euros of cuts. The largest cut that really hurts the Dutch is raising the state pension age from 65 to 67. Although this issue is debated much in the Netherlands, for most people it is still a shock. The state pension age in Holland has been 65 since it was introduced in 1956. It will not be implemented at once, but by one or two months to be added every year. The first generation that will have to work until it is 67 is the ‘building year’ 1969. That’s to say 26 years from now.
The big issue to be debated in the coming months is how to bring in 4.1 billion euros for the state and bridge the difference between those who have been paying higher pension taxes and those who start now or later? It’s known that life expectancy for people with good paid jobs and higher education is more than those at the lower socio-economic strata. For men the average life expectancy is 78 years and for women it is 82. It’s known that people with lower education have a lower life expectancy and pay more taxes for longer time for their pension.
Last week, Jos Wijnant, aged 107, was shown on the TV as the oldest man in the Netherlands. It is said that the oldest woman is 111. They are members of a group of 1633 people who are aged more than 100 years. This number is five times more than in 1979. Of course, the good news is that Dutch people are probably healthier than ever before. But on the other hand, it will cost society more money to take care of the growing number of elderly people. The problem of aging is already at our doorstep. It will become a serious issue in the future.
What can we learn from these centenarians? How did they manage to stay healthy and what did they experience in life? They have seen and lived through poverty and two world wars, witnessed the roaring ‘20s and ‘90s. They’ve also seen events that shocked and mesmerised the world. When asked about their secret of longevity, their unanimous answer is calmness and worldy wisdom.
In the same week when the TV interview was shown, the Dutch cabinet had agreed to begin a parliamentary inquiry into the financial crisis. The opposition and a lot of economic experts had pleaded for such an investigation for months. Let’s wish the parliamentary panel does its work with a sense of calm and wisdom. Confusion and anger will not help in these days of crisis.
Marcel van Silfhout is an investigative reporter working for public Dutch Television. |
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