The Parable of the Sower and the Dutch Government

Jul 12, 2022 by Jill

by Auguste Meyrat, Crisis Magazine:

In response to the Dutch government’s new environmental regulations that would universally hinder farmers and effectively put at least 30 percent of them out of business, farmers took to the streets to protest. Many of them blocked roadways with their tractors and even set bales of hay on fire in front of various city halls. As one Dutch farmer put it, “We cannot invest. Our fathers, our uncles, cannot invest in the future. And so as young farmers we also have no prospect of…taking over a farm.”

For their part, Dutch authorities did their utmost to crack down on the protesting farmers by shooting tear gas and releasing attack dogs to break up crowds. Already, they have issued over 200 fines and arrested several protesters. There are even claims that police are firing their guns at unarmed civilians. It’s a truly ugly scene in a country known for its peaceful and polite citizens.

And all for what? According to ABC News, these extremes measures are being taken “to cut emissions of pollutants, predominantly nitrogen oxide and ammonia, by 50% nationwide by 2030.” In other words, they’re wanting to eliminate half the excrement produced by livestock and marginally purify the air and waterways of the country.

It’s difficult to say whether the Dutch government is profoundly stupid or downright evil. If the developed world’s response to Covid is any indicator, then the answer lies somewhere in the middle.

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