Organised Crime Policies in the Netherlands

A relatively high level of social stability and a certain degree of tolerance are characteristic of Dutch society to the present day. In spite of the influx of immigrants and the presence of ethnic minorities there is very little racial conflict. Even in these times of economic depression, disputes between unions and employers are not fought to the bitter end. In the political decision-making process compromises are preferred over polarisation.1 Experts play an important role in bridging the differences. There is a tendency in the Netherlands to leave it to the experts to decide on normative issues, such as under which circumstances euthanasia is admissible or whether or not the sale of certain drugs should be tolerated. Normative issues are reduced to technical, empirical questions for the experts to answer. In this way the issues are depoliticised: they are still on the political agenda, but the fierceness of the debate is tempered by the facts and rational considerations provided by the experts. The land of ministers and merchants is now the land of experts.