There are seven social classes in the Netherlands, SCP Social Policy Unit concludes

SCP, the government’s socio-cultural think tank, has created a new list of seven social classes in the Netherlands. It reflects the contemporary position in society and paves the way for new approaches to government policy.

Class analysis is based on disparities in income and economic resources. For example, economic wealth, education, and labor market status, combined with inequalities in other resources such as “who do you know” (social capital) and “where you fit in” (cultural status). It has been. capital) and “Who are you” (human capital: health and attractiveness).

“Recent discussions have centered on the issue of purchasing power and poverty,” said SCP. “This is quite understandable given high inflation in 2022 due to factors such as high energy prices.

As part of a long-running project on inequality in the Netherlands, SCP combined the results of the 2019 and 2020 census with data from the National Bureau of Statistics CBS to create the list. The study suggests that 16% of Dutch residents are disadvantaged in at least one of the four main resources, and 20% are favored in all four. “This structural inequality is persistent and has big consequences,” SCP said. “It is important that we do something to address this inequality, as it affects not only people themselves, but society as a whole.”

Seven social classes identified by SCP:

• Working upper management (20%)
• Advantaged youth (9%)
• Laid-back upper management (12%)
• Middle class employed (25%)
• Low-educated pensioners (18%)
• Precarious workers (10%)
• Precariat (6%)

Researchers say the bottom-tier groups have fewer opportunities and less trust in each other, politicians and governments. The differences between them and those at the top of the ladder are large and difficult to remove, and this can ultimately weigh on social cohesion, SCP said.

Read the report abstract in English

Half of the bottom three social classes believe their government doesn’t do enough for people like them and are less likely to vote. SCP said it is important for governments to ensure that these “important citizens” remain involved in politics and society.

policy

Having a clear picture can help governments in two ways,” SCP researcher Cok Vrooman told broadcaster NOS. “Recognizing that inequality in the Netherlands is structural and that classes are distinct is different from focusing on the rich and the poor,” he said. It’s also important to keep an eye on what happens…so what happens when you get through the school system, what happens when you enter the job market and start looking for a partner…the job market. What happens when you trade away? What about health inequalities?

In particular, SCP says government policies targeting the elderly, young people, or immigrants are outdated. “These target groups belong to multiple social classes and cannot be lumped together as if they were all the same.”

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