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{{Short description|Dutch method of consensus decision-making}}
{{Economic systems sidebar}}

The '''polder model''' ({{langx|nl|poldermodel}}) is a method of [[consensus decision-making]], based on the Dutch version of consensus-based economic and social policymaking in the 1980s and 1990s.<ref name=Sanders>[[Ewoud Sanders]], ''Woorden met een verhaal'' (Amsterdam / Rotterdam, 2004), 104–06.</ref><ref>Stijn Kuipers, ''Het begin van het moderne Nederlandse poldermodel; De Hoge Raad van Arbeid van 1920 als eerste manifestatie van het Nederlandse tripartiete sociaaleconomische overlegmodel?'' (Nijmegen, 2015), 3.</ref> It gets its name from the Dutch word (''[[polder]]'') for tracts of land enclosed by dikes.

The polder model has been described as "a pragmatic recognition of pluriformity" and "cooperation despite differences". It is thought that the Dutch politician [[Ina Brouwer]] was the first to use the term ''poldermodel'', in her 1990 article "{{Lang|nl|Het socialisme als poldermodel?}}" ("[[Socialism]] as Polder Model?"), although it is uncertain whether she coined the term or simply seems to have been the first to write it down.<ref name=Sanders/><ref>Ewoud Sanders, [http://www.nrc.nl/handelsblad/2002/04/22/poldermodel-7586691 "Poldermodel"], ''[[NRC Handelsblad]]'', 22 April 2002.</ref>

==Socioeconomic polder model==
[[File:Wim Kok 1994.jpg|thumbnail|[[Wim Kok]], former [[Prime Minister of the Netherlands]], supported the polder model.]]
The Dutch polder model is characterised by the [[tripartist]] cooperation between [[employers' organisation]]s such as [[VNO-NCW]], [[labour union]]s such as the [[Federation Dutch Labour Movement]], and the [[government]]. These talks are embodied in the [[Social-Economic Council]] ({{langx|nl|Sociaal-Economische Raad}}, SER). The SER serves as the central forum to discuss labour issues and has a long tradition of consensus, often defusing labour conflicts and avoiding [[strike action]]s. Similar models are in use in [[Finland]], namely the [[Comprehensive Income Policy Agreement]] and [[universal validity of collective labour agreements]].

The current Dutch polder model is said to have begun with the [[Wassenaar Agreement]] of 1982, when unions, employers, and government decided on a comprehensive plan to revitalise the economy involving shorter working times and less pay on the one hand, and more employment on the other.<ref>Elke van Riel, "Akkoord van Wassenaar keerpunt in relatie regering en sociale partners", ''SER Magazine'', 2010 (versie 9) ([https://web.archive.org/web/20150415042502/http://www.ser.nl/nl/publicaties/overzicht%20ser%20bulletin/2010/september_2010/06.aspx archived] 15 April 2015).</ref> This polder model, combined with a [[neoliberal]] economic policy of [[privatisation]] and budget cuts, has been held to be responsible for the Dutch economic miracle of the late 1990s.{{Citation needed|reason= the previous now moved source (Elke van Riel, "Akkoord van Wassenaar keerpunt in relatie regering en sociale partners") did not provide any proof of this claim other than a unsourced personal claim of union leader of the employers that the polder model was responsible for the economic miracle of 1990. Therefore this claim that neolibiral policy and the polder model contrinuted to the economic miricle of 1990|date=August 2023}}

An important role in this process was played by the Dutch [[CPB (Netherlands)|Central Planning Bureau]] (CPB), founded by [[Jan Tinbergen]]. The CPB's policy advice since 1976, in particular with the Den Hartog and Tjan model, in favour of [[wage restraint]], was an important argument, supportive for government and employers, that the unions could not easily counter. Many authors and researchers have argued that the importance of the Wassenaar Agreement has been largely overrated.<ref>Agnes Akkerman, [http://www.ru.nl/@752137/pagina/ "Zo historisch was het Akkoord van Wassenaar niet"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924092540/http://www.ru.nl/@752137/pagina/ |date=2015-09-24 }}, [[Radboud University Nijmegen]], 2007 (retrieved 25 February 2015).</ref><ref>Jaap Woldendorp, ''The Polder Model: From Disease to Miracle? Dutch Neo-corporatism 1965–2000'' (Amsterdam, 2005), 267–69.</ref><ref>Piet de Rooy, ''Republiek van rivaliteiten; Nederland sinds 1813'' (2nd printing Amsterdam, 2005), 216–17.</ref><ref name=Kuipers>Stijn Kuipers, [https://www.academia.edu/11843938/Het_begin_van_het_moderne_Nederlandse_poldermodel "Het begin van het moderne Nederlandse poldermodel; De Hoge Raad van Arbeid van 1920 als eerste manifestatie van het Nederlandse tripartiete sociaaleconomische overlegmodel?"], Radboud University Nijmegen, 2015.</ref> Most of these writers have argued that considerable continuity can be seen from the 1950s onwards. Historian Stijn Kuipers, goes even further. In an article reliant on the work of Coen Helderman,<ref>Coen Helderman, [http://www.tseg.nl/2004/2-helderman.pdf "De Hoge Raad van Arbeid, 1919–1940(–1950)"], ''Tijdschrift voor Sociale en Economische Geschiedenis'' I:2 (2004).</ref> Kuipers argues that the modern socioeconomic polder model already manifested itself in 1920 with the Dutch High Council of Labour. It follows that the polder model is therefore much older and could have had a larger influence on Dutch society and economy than previously thought.<ref name=Kuipers/>

==Other uses==
The term polder model and especially the verb ''polderen'' ("to [[polder]]") has been used pejoratively by some politicians to describe the slow decision-making process where all parties have to be heard. The model flourished under the [[Purple coalition (government)|purple coalition]] governments of Prime Minister [[Wim Kok]], a coalition including the traditional rivals the [[Labour Party (Netherlands)|Labour Party]] (a [[social-democratic]] party, whose colour is red) and the [[People's Party for Freedom and Democracy]] ([[conservative liberalism|conservative liberals]], whose colour is blue). In the declining economic climate of the early 21st century, the model came under fierce attack particularly from [[right-wing]] politicians and [[Pim Fortuyn]] in his book entitled ''[[De puinhopen van acht jaar Paars]]'' (''The Wreckage of Eight Years Purple'').

==Historical background==
There is no consensus about the exact historical background of the polder model. In general, there are three views on this subject. One explanation points to the rebuilding of the [[Netherlands]] after [[World War II]]. [[Corporatism]] was an important feature of [[Christian democracy]] and particularly [[Catholic]] political thought. During the postwar period, the Catholic, Protestant, Christian, social-democratic, and liberal parties decided to work together to reconstruct the Netherlands, as did [[labour union]]s and [[employers' organization]]s. Important institutions of the polder model like the SER were founded in this period. No single political party has ever had anything approaching an overall majority in parliament, so a [[coalition government]] is inevitable. This makes parties extremely cautious, since today's enemy may be tomorrow's ally, all the more so in present times when the perceived death of ideology has made it possible for almost all the parties to work together.{{citation needed|date=January 2022}}

Another explanation points to the dependency of the Netherlands on [[international trade]] and the [[world economy]]. The Dutch cannot afford [[protectionism]] against the unpredictable tides of the international economy because the Netherlands is not an [[autarkic]] economy. To cushion against the international economy, they set up the [[Social-Economic Council]], which oversaw an extensive [[welfare state]].{{citation needed|date=January 2022}} A third explanation refers to a unique aspect of the Netherlands, that it consists in large part of [[polder]]s, land reclaimed from the sea, which requires constant pumping and maintenance of the [[Dyke (construction)|dykes]]. Ever since the [[Middle Ages]], when the process of land reclamation began, different societies living in the same polder have been forced to cooperate because without unanimous agreement on shared responsibility for maintenance of the dykes and pumping stations, the polders would have flooded and everyone would have suffered. Crucially, even when different cities in the same polder were at war, they still had to cooperate in this respect. This is thought to have taught the Dutch to set aside differences for a greater purpose.{{citation needed|date=January 2022}}

== See also ==

* [[Bipartisanship]]
* [[Trasformismo]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* [https://www.economist.com/europe/2012/11/03/same-old-dutch "Same old Dutch"], ''[[The Economist]]'', 3 November 2012
* [https://www.economist.com/special-report/2002/05/04/model-makers "Model makers"], ''The Economist'', 2 May 2002 
* [https://www.economist.com/special-report/2002/05/04/economic-illusions "Economic illusions"], ''The Economist'', 2 May 2002 
* [https://www.economist.com/special-report/2002/05/04/a-fine-place-to-be "A fine place to be"], ''The Economist'', 2 May 2002
* Mark Kranenburg, [http://retro.nrc.nl/W2/Lab/Profiel/Netherlands/politics.html "The political branch of the polder model"], ''[[NRC Handelsblad]]'', 1 July 1999

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