Netherlands strongest European economy
According to z24 (Dutch), the Netherlands is in second place on the so-called Misery Index, right after Japan. The index adds unemployment rate to inflation rate, and a high position (low value) indicates a healthy economy.
- Japan: 4,5
- Netherlands: 4,9
- Norway: 5,3
- Denmark: 5,5
- Switzerland: 5,6
- South Korea: 6,8
- Great-Britain: 7,3
- Australia: 7,5
- Austria: 7,9
- Luxemburg: 8,2
You could probably come up with all sorts of reservations against such an index. For starters, unemployment rates are notoriously unreliable, as they tend to be closer related to propaganda than to statistics. But even a Netherlands that is merely highish in the index might be still be doing well because of it. Z24 writer Mathijs Bouman points out that consumer confidence in the Netherlands took a dive the past half year from 15% to -2%. The factors that have a healing influence on lowered consumer confidence? Low unemployment and inflation rates.
I for one would love to hear a clear and compelling breakdown on how the Dutch unemployment stats compare to other countries. I believe the CBS that unfilled positions are near an all time high, and joblessness low among people seeking work.
But that leaves the question _ open question _ of whether there are more Dutch who have given up and aren’t seeking work.
Somewhere there’s an economist who studies this exact question, if only I could meet her…