The end of free money. Today was the day in the Netherlands. The gas tap from Groningen has been turned off. It is one of the largest fields in the world, where 428 billion Euros worth have been siphoned off since 1959. It surprises me how little commotion this historic moment has produced. Perhaps it is because in harsh winters, the Groninger Veld can still be called upon. Perhaps because the local earthquakes can continue for a while. The people of Groningen are not hanging out the flag yet, rightly so.
Yet there is indeed a special moment in our Dutch history. In fact, since the establishment of the VOC in 1602, our country has no colony for the first time in 400 years. The historic date October 1st, 2023 marks the end of free money. It will influence our view of our prosperity and the future. Last year, the Court of Audit calculated that we would have 1,671 billion in the pot if we had put our gas revenues away in the Norwegian way and not spent them annually. We would still have Euro 536bn left if we had skimmed off a 4% return. But no, the money is gone, gone, gone. Potverteren, in good Dutch. Dutch disease they say abroad. We are left empty-handed. The future has never been thought of.
When I talk about spatial planning and the proverbial dot on the horizon, I often have to conclude that we are not ready for it yet. First, the Dutch dominance over the Netherlands had to end. Profit and practical considerations (still) keep us in its grip. That thinking is finite, as it turns out. After 4 centuries of giving Holland the chance, it is time for values such as pride, honor, solidarity. It takes some getting used to. But there is no future if we don’t take the future seriously.
Henk Hartzema, LinkedIn, 1 Oktober 2023
