The Dutch

[Louis VI the Fat]

Why is everybody so endlessly fascinated with the Netherlands choice to decriminlize marijauna and sex-for-hire?

I realise the question i semi-hypothetical, but I'll answer it regardless, since I was pretty much thinking the same thing.

Firstly, it is a big world and the Netherlands is a small country. People can't have an extensive knowledge or even elaborate stereotypes about the entire world. So stereotypes are limited. Brazil - beach, bikinis and football. New Zealand - nature, rugby and sheep. The Netherlands - drugs and prostitution.

Secondly, this is owing to the Netherlands itself. The Dutch are part embarrassed*, part a-historical**, part uncultured***. The tragedy is that they have not always been like this. The Dutch trading towns are in historical importance, in artistic and architectural merit, even in sheer beauty, every bit the equal of the Italian city-states, or of the great Flemish towns. Just the province of Holland alone is peerless in Europe: Amsterdam, Leyden, Haarlem, Delft, Rotterdam, the Hague. An empire was run from here, global trade was conducted from here and even developed here, art flourished, censored books were printed, philosophy flourished, law flourished. Henry Mechoulan wrote a book, 'Amsterdam au temps de Spinoza', which is probably not available in English. It is astonishing. For full century, not the Spanish, British or French were the centre of European civilization, but a few acres of wetland. Which, to top it all of, these semi-amphibian Masters of the Universe forged themselves from the bottom of the sea.

If you visit it though, you'll have to look for it. In every village, every French town, everywhere in europe, there are signs that direct you to the house of famous historical persons. If there isn't any, they'll invent one. Any structure that is over two centuries old is protected. Old landscapes are still intact. There is a pride in it. The Netherlands on the other hand feel like it has been taken over by aliens, colonised. They don't promote their old culture, they don't love. They are embarrased about it, want to be modern. It is like with Italy and antiquity, there is so much of it that it is carelessly left to rot. It is maddening. One can visit the Netherlands and remain completely oblivious of its history.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

For example:

Amsterdam is a sad place. Once, simultanously!, Spinoza and Descartes created modern thought, and Rembrandt and Vermeer worked here, and Grotius developed modern law, and more books were printed than in the rest of Europe combined. And now? Now the place is handed over to prostitutes, pimps, McDonalds, English stag and hen parties, piss, alcohol and endless 'XXX Sex Shows!!'. It is a complete travesty.

The difference in historical pride between Flanders and Holland is shocking. Bruges looks like a dream, absolutely gorgeous and phenomenally restored. Prague, despite the onslaught of mass tourism remains an intact historical city, with some integrity. Copenhagen is every bit as liberal as Amsterdam, but without the nonsense.

Amsterdam could be Venice. It could also be Florence. Or Oxford. Even, shockingly, all three combined. Yet, it chooses to be a third rate hole.

*See: Embarrassment of Riches by Simon Schama.

**The Americans here can't go a topic without referring to the Founding Fathers, the English mention Magna Carta, Nelson, the Empire. The French go on and on about the Revolution and Republican values. However, when was the last time any Dutch poster here mentioned the Dutch Republican tradition, or Spinoza, or Grotius 'Mare Liberum'?

***See wikipedia's entry on 'Fragony'.