For a Better Netherlands - VPRO documentary - 2012
53Persistent problems in the Netherlands, in healthcare, in education and in industry have long since been resolved in European neighboring countries. Through bold vision with bold decisions they got spectacular results, and it seems to have been completely overlooked by The Netherlands.
The fresh cabinet of The Netherlands Prime minister Mark Rutte is bent over budget cuts, changes and new policy. VPRO Backlight helps the politicians to look beyond the borders. How do they deal with well-known Dutch headache dossiers such as the rising costs of healthcare, the problems in education, and the creation of new jobs? Bold decisions based on daring visions have already led to spectacular results abroad.
For example, in Norway they send their dependent older people to sunny Spain and thus save a lot of money. In Finland they have the best education in Europe, almost as good as in top education regions of Singapore and Shanghai. Just as for the secondary education, teachers in the Finnish primary education system must have completed a university degree. Whoever teaches has the status of a doctor.
In New Zealand, the government has taken over the market for medicines, sidestepped the pharmaceutical industry and made health care more affordable. And in Germany they are making great use of sustainable industry: 300 billion euros per year is earned and 380,000 jobs have already been created.
Leaders of the Netherlands, shouldn't we just take this over?
Originally broadcasted by VPRO in 2012.
© VPRO Backlight November 2012
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Credits:
Directed by: Kees Brouwer, Martijn Kieft, Marije Meerman, Alexander Oey
Research: William de Bruijn, Maren Merckx
Production: Jenny Borger, Helen Goossens
Editors: Henneke Hagen, Frank Wiering
English, French and Spanish subtitles: Ericsson.
French and Spanish subtitles are co-funded by European Union.