Less than a quarter of schoolboys in the Netherlands have a positive view of homosexuality, almost half the proportion of four years ago, according to a Europe-wide survey. The HBSC (Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children) poll found that just 22% of boys aged 12 to 16 had a positive view of homosexuality, compared to 40% the last time the survey was carried out in 2021. Gonneke Stevens, professor of Social and Behavioural Sciences at Utrecht University, said there was a...
It’s not exactly the same everywhere so I’m not talking about Dutch left specifically but about the left in general. In many places they have been focusing on identity politics instead of income inequality and related issues. In Spain for example Podemos was more worried about gender violence and trans issues than jobs for young people. They eventually lost most of their support and were replaced in the coalition by Sumar which is more focused on issues like housing and healthcare. You could see this clearly in recent elections in Andalusia were the far-left parties focused on those issues and did really well preventing far-right Vox from registering any gains. Identity politics are of course important but I would say the shift needed to happen 10 years ago when priorities of voters started charging. When people feel secure the wellbeing of minorities is their main concern but when times get tough they want politicians to focus on issues that affect them personally. Mamdani is another example. Look what he is running on (and DSA program in general) and look what Kamala Harris run on. From wikipedia:
“Harris’s domestic platform was similar to Biden’s on most issues.[15] She supported national abortion protections, LGBT+ rights, stricter gun control, and legislation to address climate change.”
vs
“His platform included support for free city buses and a rent freeze in rent-stabilized housing.[87][88] Mamdani also wanted the city government to operate five grocery stores”
The Dutch population has been increasing by a steady 0.28% year on year [1] While the birth rate has been stable since the baby boomers at 1.6~ [2]
Dutch immigration predominantly from economic migrants (aka expats) have economic tax breaks making the city centres mostly English speaking. This makes it very difficult for left wing that gain memberships from universities to interact with the lower class that have been driven out of cities by center right market capitalism and a growing additional English speaking bourgeois class.
Center right have exasperated this by refusing to build more housing, the center left have gaslight by using the government’s capitalist policy-to-economic-growth calculations.
Now we have a left with an identity crisis a center that’s very very happy with the economic system of extraction and a growing far-right that talks about Sociaal Rechts tegen de Linkse elite. Go to the book shop and you find “left” authors who live in the expensive city center: actual book: “De Domheid Regeert” where the author, self proclaimed left, complains about stupidity of the working class. Of course the far right love to associate immigrants with refugees because colour. And create the standard National Socialist talking points of nuclear white families and the dangers of LHBTI, further dividing the working class from the actual Left (PvdD SP Bij1)
Downvoters: I’m interested to hear how population increase will enact material progress to the Dutch lower class in housing and job security in a country that has a higher density than Japan [3].
P.S. I’m following the policies set by SP who ask for stricter rules and reasonable limits for economic immigrants, to be clear these policies are vastly different from those of fascists who strive for remigration/ isolationism/ turning down refugees [4].
I’m not sure what you mean. What do you think the Dutch left has been focusing on and what do you think they should have been focusing on instead?
It’s not exactly the same everywhere so I’m not talking about Dutch left specifically but about the left in general. In many places they have been focusing on identity politics instead of income inequality and related issues. In Spain for example Podemos was more worried about gender violence and trans issues than jobs for young people. They eventually lost most of their support and were replaced in the coalition by Sumar which is more focused on issues like housing and healthcare. You could see this clearly in recent elections in Andalusia were the far-left parties focused on those issues and did really well preventing far-right Vox from registering any gains. Identity politics are of course important but I would say the shift needed to happen 10 years ago when priorities of voters started charging. When people feel secure the wellbeing of minorities is their main concern but when times get tough they want politicians to focus on issues that affect them personally. Mamdani is another example. Look what he is running on (and DSA program in general) and look what Kamala Harris run on. From wikipedia:
“Harris’s domestic platform was similar to Biden’s on most issues.[15] She supported national abortion protections, LGBT+ rights, stricter gun control, and legislation to address climate change.”
vs
“His platform included support for free city buses and a rent freeze in rent-stabilized housing.[87][88] Mamdani also wanted the city government to operate five grocery stores”
Okay I’ll bite; Immigation yes actually
The Dutch population has been increasing by a steady 0.28% year on year [1] While the birth rate has been stable since the baby boomers at 1.6~ [2]
Dutch immigration predominantly from economic migrants (aka expats) have economic tax breaks making the city centres mostly English speaking. This makes it very difficult for left wing that gain memberships from universities to interact with the lower class that have been driven out of cities by center right market capitalism and a growing additional English speaking bourgeois class.
Center right have exasperated this by refusing to build more housing, the center left have gaslight by using the government’s capitalist policy-to-economic-growth calculations.
Now we have a left with an identity crisis a center that’s very very happy with the economic system of extraction and a growing far-right that talks about Sociaal Rechts tegen de Linkse elite. Go to the book shop and you find “left” authors who live in the expensive city center: actual book: “De Domheid Regeert” where the author, self proclaimed left, complains about stupidity of the working class. Of course the far right love to associate immigrants with refugees because colour. And create the standard National Socialist talking points of nuclear white families and the dangers of LHBTI, further dividing the working class from the actual Left (PvdD SP
Bij1)Downvoters: I’m interested to hear how population increase will enact material progress to the Dutch lower class in housing and job security in a country that has a higher density than Japan [3].
P.S. I’m following the policies set by SP who ask for stricter rules and reasonable limits for economic immigrants, to be clear these policies are vastly different from those of fascists who strive for remigration/ isolationism/ turning down refugees [4].