Immigration and Multiculturalism - the Dutch Experience

Abstract

The Netherlands were considered the most tolerant and multicultural society in Europe for decades. As a former colonial empire the country took onboard migrants from its previous colonies in South-East Asia. It also received huge amounts of migrant workers according to bilateral hiring agreements with Turkey, Morocco and South European countries which where mostly dominated by an Islamic cultural foundation. At the turn of the century, Dutch society faced a new challenge when this migrant population within the country, refused to integrate into the host society and accept its common social and cultural values. Right-wing political sentiments and nationalist parties with xenophobic and anti-Islamic slogans became stronger. The Netherlands as one of the most liberal and prosperous countries attracted ever more “social tourists” from Asian and African countries. Subsequently, the native-born Dutchmen got tired from their own liberalism, mostly because of the rising social costs of immigration. The author analyzes how the Netherlands toughened its immigration laws at the beginning of the XXI century limiting access to its labour market and associated social benefits. There is also another aspect relating to measures taken by the state regarding the poor and suffering immigrants which have been receiving social support as from the beginning of the 1980s. At that time the Netherlands had aspired building a society as much tolerant and multicultural as possible. In contrast, nowadays Dutch society expects the migrants to take it upon themselves the responsibility for their successful integration. The authors analyze the effectiveness of the new Dutch naturalization rules and the “contracts for new immigrants” in the Netherlands.