How ordinary people live in Holland. Netherlands - “Life in the Netherlands. A story about the “sweet” European life, what are the pros and cons for me.” Salaries, finances and benefits


Slides and text of this presentation

Slide 1

Dutch revolution
Countries Western civilization(end of the 16th – beginning of the 18th century

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Empire of Charles V of Habsburg

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Problem
Is the uprising of the people of the Netherlands an illegal rebellion or a struggle against a tyrant for freedom?

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Plan
1. Causes of the uprising 2. Main events 3. Results and consequences

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Economics (economy).
Politics (governance).
Social structure.
Culture (spiritual sphere).
1. Causes of the uprising

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Spheres of social life Causes of the uprising Causes of the uprising Causes of the uprising
Spheres of society. Basics of life in the Netherlands before 1566 Spanish orders in the Netherlands before 1566 Northern Netherlands after 1609
Economics (economy). Antwerp was a crossroads of trade routes. Trade with England (wool) developed. Cloth was produced for sale, both in craft workshops and in factories. Spain was at enmity with England. As a result, there were no raw materials and no work in the Netherlands.
1. Causes of the uprising

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Spheres of social life Causes of the uprising Causes of the uprising Causes of the uprising
Spheres of society. Basics of life in the Netherlands before 1566 Spanish orders in the Netherlands before 1566 Northern Netherlands after 1609
Politics (governance). The power of the Spanish governor was limited to the activities of class assemblies - provincial states, General States. Free cities paid taxes and did not admit Spanish officials. Under Philip II, governors broke traditions. Taxes were introduced without the consent of the states and went to Spain. Residents complained about the greed of the Spaniards.
1. Causes of the uprising

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Spheres of life of societies Causes of uprising Causes of uprising Causes of uprising
Spheres of life of societies. Basics of life in the Netherlands before 1566 Spanish orders in the Netherlands before 1566 Northern Netherlands after 1609
Social structure.
There was a class system: nobles, clergy. But there were also free peasants and rich burghers. Dutch nobles could not occupy positions in the state.
1. Causes of the uprising

Culture (spiritual sphere). After the Reformation, the Protestant Church (Calvinism) spread. _The Inquisition is established. The persecution of Protestants and the imposition of Catholicism began.

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In the economy: the Spaniards interfered with the development of trade with England, which led to a reduction in manufacturing and handicraft production. In politics: the Spanish king ruled the Netherlands without the consent of the states (absolute monarchy). High taxes were introduced, and the residents of the state were dissatisfied. In the social structure: Dutch nobles were not allowed to govern the state. In the spiritual sphere: persecution of Calvinists, the Inquisition.

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Revolution
A radical violent change in all social orders.
R

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Main events
1566 April - demands for the convening of the Estates General August - beginning of the revolution. Forest and sea gueuzes against the troops of Alba 1572 - capture of the city of Brillet by the gueuzes - expulsion of the Spaniards from the North. of the Netherlands (William of Orange) 1574 - unsuccessful siege of Leiden by the Spaniards 1579 - Union of Utrecht - state union of the provinces of the North. Netherlands 1584 - murder of William of Orange 1587 - North. The Netherlands is declared a Republic of the United Provinces 1609 – truce of the Republic with Spain – division of the Netherlands into Northern (independent) and Southern (Spanish)

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Results
Spheres of social life in the Northern Netherlands after 1609
Economics (economy). Amsterdam becomes the center of trade. Holland trades with England, Germany, and Italy. The Amsterdam Bank is created. Villages turned into commercial and industrial cities. The number of manufactories increased.
Politics (governance). Holland gained independence from Spain. Becomes a republic.
Social structure. During the war, the differences between the nobles and the rich burghers were erased; they formed a class of wealthy capitalists. A class of hired workers is being formed. The class system was destroyed. A person's position began to be determined not by origin, but by his business qualities.
Culture (spiritual sphere). The Inquisition was abolished. Calvinists could perform their own rituals.

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Conclusion
Revolution in the Netherlands - a just struggle against tyranny for freedom

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Prove that the Dutch revolution accelerated the collapse of agrarian society
Signs of the destruction of an agrarian society Facts from the history of post-revolutionary Holland
The growth of cities, the replacement of a subsistence economy with a market economy. The destruction of class barriers, the struggle for equality. Reducing the influence of the landowning nobility, democratic elections, parliaments. Reducing the influence of the church on culture, spreading education. Amsterdam has grown several times as a center of world trade. Villages regularly traded various goods with cities and acquired an urban appearance. Nobles, burghers, and rich peasants merged into the capitalist class, and significant differences in clothing and social status disappeared. All free owners participate in elections of government bodies. Complete religious tolerance was declared.

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Homework
Item 8 and questions before it.

Being a native of Murmansk, Anna always loved the north, but at some point hometown it became enough for the girl, and she left her native land: studying in Moscow, then Norway, and now the Netherlands.
Culture shock
There was no culture shock, there is a very neutral mentality here. Only the language is difficult to perceive, I still haven’t started speaking Dutch - I have neither the desire nor the need - everyone speaks English, both at work and in the family.

I was a little afraid to ride a bike around the city, but I quickly got used to it. The only 'shock' is how people park near the canals, there are no sides, but everyone stands exactly, literally 10cm from the water. I couldn't do it, but maybe I'll learn someday.

It's hard to get used to

Nothing comes to mind that I’m not used to. Probably to a nasty winter with wind and rain, but this is more a matter of humility than getting used to it. People often tell me “you came from Russia/Norway, you shouldn’t be cold,” but in fact snow and -25 are much nicer than wild wind and rain in your face every day from October to March, especially if you commute to work by bicycle I miss the snow.

Interesting features of the country

I was impressed by the attitude towards mental health. Burnout is taken very seriously here: the employer provides paid leave, a corporate doctor/psychologist, and all kinds of support in such cases. At least in large companies. My colleague encountered this last year - stress, overwork, misunderstandings - everything accumulated. I sat at home for two months, then gradually returned to work, first 2-3 days a week, then completely, now everything is fine.

My experience in such situations in Russia is slightly different: I remember working in Moscow in one bank, I came to the boss, I told her: “your ridiculous instructions make my eye twitch, and I want to burst into tears on the floor right now.” Of course, I was being sarcastic, but she answered seriously: “We all didn’t come here to enjoy life, go to work or goodbye, and generally grow up.”

We are probably more emotionally stable, or we simply don’t consider it something important. I think it’s great when your emotional state and mental health are valued. But, of course, some kind of line is important here. When they send me on sick leave for the reason “I broke up with my boyfriend, I’m depressed” - in my opinion, this is a little overkill, but perhaps my mentality has not yet matured.

By the way, I was also surprised that when you go on sick leave, you don’t need to provide any documents. You just say: “I’m sick,” and from the next day you have paid sick leave.

Mentality

The majority of the Dutch are quite down-to-earth people, rather in a good sense - down to earth: they value practicality in everything. Comfortable clothes instead of fashion trends, economics and taxes in schools instead of literature. Some Russians are surprised by this, but for the Dutch it is more important to speak three languages ​​fluently and be able to fill out a tax return than to quote Shakespeare. Here you rarely hear any lofty conversations about culture and history. Rather about politics, the same taxes, all sorts of everyday problems. Although people are different: for example, my boss goes to the Vienna Opera concert every year. But my boyfriend’s dad fell asleep when I took the whole family to the ballet.

One of the common qualities of the Dutch is following rules and laws. Crossing the road in the wrong place, jumping somewhere somewhere, not paying the fare - most Dutch people are not capable of this at some genetic level. Violation of the rules is viewed very negatively; most likely no one will “blink” at you on the road to warn you that the police are on the way: your violations are a threat to the safety of everyone. Or, for example, on trains there is a “quiet” carriage where you can’t make noise. If your phone rings, they will immediately hiss you and kick you out. I really like that there are such carriages, you can read or work in peace.

The Dutch are very loyal in everything. For example, in relation to immigrants. In general, the country has already turned into an international one: big cities a huge number of expats, immigrants of various kinds, the Netherlands also accepts a certain number of refugees every year, trying to integrate them into society. They are also loyal to their personal life - sexual orientation, religion, etc. People can argue and swear only about politics and football. Only their humor has no boundaries, there are a lot of “intolerant” jokes, but they are not serious.

Positive points

The attitude towards the environment is impressive. On every street there are containers for sorting waste - plastic, paper, cardboard, everything separately. Factories have learned to use energy from burning waste, and now they don’t even have enough “raw materials”. They say that the Netherlands has started buying garbage from China, like Sweden. Not everyone was happy about this news, because, as I said, the Dutch prefer practicality rather than high ideals, and the fact that their taxes (which can be up to 52%) are used to buy Chinese garbage does not particularly inspire the Dutch.

I like that you can easily travel - everything is close, ticket prices are low. For the cost of a Murmansk-Moscow flight you can travel all over Europe.

My favorite feature of the Dutch is their love for animals. You can go anywhere with your dog - to shopping mall, restaurant. One time we were having dinner, our corgi was given a bowl of water and treats, and the couple at the next table with a screaming child was asked to leave. Probably, the animal is not perceived as something unhygienic, although here, in principle, they do not bother with hygiene. If you order a croissant from a bakery, they will most likely serve it to you with their bare hands. They probably don’t have raids on sanitary and epidemiological stations. Of course, this approach can be criticized, but nevertheless, the Netherlands is in 15th place in the list of the healthiest countries, and Russia is in 95th place.

Cons of the country

Many foreigners complain about Dutch medicine and joke that the only cure for all ills is paracetamol. This is partly true: other medications cannot be bought without a prescription, and the doctor prescribes them only in cases of serious need. Well, every immigrant already has a whole epic written on the topic of European medicine in all social networks. I can only say that if a really serious problem arises, a person is fully insured and can be sure of receiving first-class help.

The second problem for Russian-speaking immigrants after medicine is the beauty industry. Here they worry much less about appearance. Demand is lower, and the quality of service is correspondingly lower. Many girls from Russia have constant stress - where to get their nails, eyebrows, eyelashes done. Mostly girls from Russia and Ukraine also engage in these services, and quite successfully.

In this regard, I was released in Norway, where you can come to study in pajamas, and put on makeup only on holidays.

There was a funny situation about this: we were in a cafe with my boyfriend, Russian girls were sitting next to us and were actively discussing our couple, in the spirit of “ugh, these European women are terrible, if only she painted her eyelashes, it would be better if he found a Russian for himself.” It was funny and a little awkward.

What's not to like

The amount of taxes is annoying, of course. It's a shame to give away almost half of your salary. But the connection between the amount of taxes and the standard of living in the country is obvious, so all we can do is come to terms with it.

Talkativeness is annoying. Just this morning, people started talking to me: a passer-by at a traffic light, a passenger on a train, a barista in a cafe. It's great that they are so sociable, but for my northern mentality and poor Dutch it's too much.

It’s annoying that a lot of my friends fly to Amsterdam. Just kidding, of course, I am very happy when friends come. I live in Leiden - it's very beautiful city(By the way, Leiden is the birthplace of the waiting for some reason, popular in Russia. This sculpture is called Homonculus Loxodontus, is located in the Leiden hospital and symbolizes the waiting patient). But everyone asks to see Amsterdam. I like the city, but walking 20 times in a row along the same route is very boring. I even made a mini-guide to Amsterdam in my channel with all the main points so that you can help yourself and then come visit.

It is sad that all Europeans in general underestimate their own European culture and heritage. Many have been to New Zealand, Africa and South America, but haven’t been to Paris, which is three hours away by car, Rome, or even Amsterdam (the Dutch don’t really like the capital because of the abundance of tourists and coffee shops for these same tourists). There are only American films on TV; few people have heard of Italian, French, Spanish films.

The Dutch, like the Germans, do not take off their shoes in the house.

Recently we had a party - out of a bunch of people, only a Pole took off his shoes at the entrance and sat in his socks the whole evening. This still makes me cringe, but since I’m not the only one who cleans the house, I’ve come to terms with it.

Equality

There is no division into male and female responsibilities. For example, I practically don’t cook, it’s simple - my partner likes to cook, but I don’t. I'm taking on some other things. If I decided to clean the house, he will definitely help, because: “Did you decide to clean all this yourself? We live here together, tell me what to do.” His parents are the opposite: dad is forbidden to go near the stove, and mom is not allowed to go near cleaning cloths. The topics of feminism, women's rights, etc. are not often flashed in the media, because everything is fine with that. Although, for example, at my work this is a rather pressing issue - there are few women, because there are probably historically fewer women in this industry, or I don’t know why. We even have HR quotas to increase the number of women in certain industries, and sometimes it happens that preference is given to female candidates in order to improve company statistics. Sometimes they wait until the last minute, do not hire men for positions, hoping to find, for example, a developer or engineer in some Indian office. In my opinion, this is ridiculous and dishonest; it results in some kind of reverse discrimination. But women are supported and respected.

In general, the road is open to women in any sphere and industry.

At the same time, quite a lot of women (mostly the older generation) work part-time, 3 days a week. Perhaps this is also a manifestation of equality, a woman takes on household chores/children instead of work, and not in addition. Men also have the opportunity to switch to a four-day work week, with the fifth day being parental day.

Family life

I don’t see any obvious differences in the relationship between partners; I think this is influenced primarily by personality, not nationality. I know couples of Turkish origin who live in complete equality, despite national traditions. Perhaps only marriage is given less than value in comparison with Russia. In June we are going to the wedding of guys who have been together for 12 years and have three children. Many people live without stamps in their passports (I’m not sure if they put a stamp here at all), and here you can also register a ‘registered partnership’, which is legally equivalent to marriage, but is not one. Women generally do not change their surname; they often use a double one.

The Dutch value home and family. In the summer they often take extra days off when the weather is good to spend time with their children and family. In work, it seems to me that the Dutch are a little less ambitious - career is not a priority, the main thing is stability and pleasure in what you do.

What life in another country taught me

During my life in Holland, I learned to be more tolerant, calmer, and slow down. Now it’s a little uncomfortable coming to Moscow - there are too many people, everything is too fast. Although I really love this city. I can’t say that I have acquired any Dutch traits, but I also can’t name any purely Russian traits in myself. I don’t like to talk about Russian politics, but they often ask, and I always have to make excuses for everything that is happening now, explain that people and the state are not the same thing, and dispel some stereotypes. Not very nice.

It became easier for me to have a small conversation - to start a conversation with a neighbor, with a bread seller, with a postman - this cannot be avoided, the Dutch like to chat not about business.

I don’t miss life in Russia, only my friends, some favorite places and black bread. I always ask my friends to bring half a black one; this delicacy cannot be found even in Polish stores (everything else can be found).

Should learn

It seems to me that criticizing and judging others is an inherent trait in us; you can learn loyalty and lack of boundaries from the Dutch. I myself sometimes roll my eyes when a girl with wet hair comes into the office and starts combing it with a comb while you sip your morning coffee. But if she’s so comfortable and can’t dry it at home, that’s her right. Even in an office environment, no one pays attention to blue hair, dreadlocks, tattoos - everyone has the right to choose how to look without limiting their professional life.

Holland and the Dutch - what associations do you have when you hear these two words? What is amazing about life in this country? And what catches your eye when you stop noticing the mills, coffee shops and picturesque canals and plunge into everyday life? In today's guest post, I offer a look at Holland through the eyes of someone who has lived here for five years.

Journalist from Kyiv, came to Holland five years ago. Now she lives in Haarlem, and we often meet over a cup of coffee or a glass of wine. I really love listening to Nadezhda’s stories: she knows how to see what someone else is not paying attention to, and tell about it with a sparkle!

When my husband and I landed at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport almost five years ago, we were armed with the standard set of knowledge about the Netherlands gleaned from a guidebook. There was a passing mention of “those strange Dutch” who swallow whole herrings, gobble up tons of cheese, and were great sailors in the past.


In the photo: cheese shop in

Gradually we found out that whole herring is now being eaten more and more outside of Amsterdam and the surrounding area, cheese is indeed one of the main products on the table of the average Dutchman, and they even live on boats.


In the photo: the ship in

The discoveries of the following months were the Dutch habit of wearing flip-flops on their bare feet at plus ten; singing Christmas carols in the freezing rain and cycling to work fifty kilometers a day round trip in any weather. The people, brought up by the harsh life in the lands below sea level, do this playfully.


In the photo: to a wedding in bad weather on a bicycle - why not?

It still remains a mystery to the Dutch themselves what prompted their ancestors to develop such an uninhabitable swamp as the Netherlands (“low lands”). But who knows, maybe it was the centuries-old struggle with the sea that made these people so practical, resilient and imperturbable. Having lived side by side with the Dutch for a couple of years, you understand that the Dutch are not alien to the love of life’s simple pleasures. So, what surprises you most about the Dutchmen?

1. They do not have the slightest fear of offending sacred objects. Cathedrals host wine tastings and book fairs, and closed churches are converted into apartment buildings. However, if you think about the population density in this country, such practicality becomes understandable. Land is an invaluable resource, and in the Netherlands it is customary to use every piece of it.


In the photo: the building of a former church in Haarlem now houses a brewery and

The Dutchman is in an organic symbiosis with his bicycle. He can drive in the rain, typing a text message on his phone with one hand, and holding - no, not an umbrella - in the other! - sandwich.

The Dutch themselves joke that if they lose their jobs, they can always earn extra money by performing in the circus. However, there is also back side medals. Often, these people born in the saddle act like they own the world on their bikes. And if ending up under the wheels of one of these bike terrorists isn't your thing, you better look around when you're strolling around a Dutch city.


In the photo: in the center of Amsterdam. Beware of the cyclist! :)

6. As you may have guessed, no one pays attention to rain in this country. The Dutch quietly continue to go about their business - sailing boats, playing football, cooking barbecues and holding endless festivals. Man is given waterproof skin, they say. And it's hard to argue with that.

7. And since it rains two hundred and fifty days a year in the Netherlands, no one here would think of sitting at home in good weather. As soon as the sun appears, everyone immediately pours out into the street. Walk, bask in the warm rays like seals, drink wine and do nothing.


Photo: sunny day in Amsterdam

8. The Dutch are very fond of flowers and dogs. They plant flowers in any container that is more or less suitable for this and simply display them outside the door. A bouquet of tulips is routinely bought along with a bag of potatoes, and for every holiday you can buy themed flower arrangements in clay pots in large chain stores.


In the photo: flowers are really everywhere in Holland!

It's good to go to the sea with dogs. Along the endless sandy coastline they have somewhere to frolic. And in every cafe on the embankment there is a bowl of water for your pet.


In the photo: the beach in

9. Since regular shops in the Netherlands close at 17-18 hours, the Dutch have their own shopping days. This is Saturday and Thursday. Thursday evening is called donderdag koopavond (Thursday shopping evening) because the shops do not close their doors until 19-20 hours. Therefore, after eight, cafes and restaurants are crowded. Everyone comes in for a glass or two of wine or beer.


In the photo: Thursday evening – time to combine business with pleasure

10. And finally, what surprised me most about the Dutch was their family orientation. Three or four children in a family is common here. Moms and dads take care of children equally, and Sundays are usually spent together doing some kind of physical activity, such as running, swimming, surfing, boating. It is then that you see something charmingly romantic in these people.


We didn’t dare take photographs of other people’s children, so the picture was taken from the Internet. Unfortunately, its authorship could not be established.

What surprises you about Holland and the Dutch?

In the first half of the 16th century, Protestant teachings began to spread in the Netherlands, which had been part of the Holy Roman Empire since 1512 and the hereditary possession of the House of Habsburg since 1549. This circumstance, as well as the socio-economic policy of Spain, led to the emergence of an anti-Spanish movement in the country, in response to which Spain sent troops to the Netherlands. A guerrilla war began in the country. In 1579, the country split into southern provinces loyal to the Spanish king and rebellious northern provinces, which soon declared themselves an independent republic. Until 1648, the Republic of the United Provinces, while remaining de jure Spanish territory, was de facto independent. Fighting between Holland and the Spanish-controlled southern provinces continued (with a break of 12 years from 1609 to 1621) until the signing of the Treaty of Munster between Spain and the Netherlands in 1648. This treaty was part of the European Peace of Westphalia, which ended the Thirty Years' War of 1618-1648. The Dutch Republic was recognized as an independent state and retained control over the territories conquered in the later stages of the war.

The Dutch Revolution and the formation of the Republic of the United Provinces

The Dutch Revolution is the name given to the liberation war of the Netherlands against Spanish rule in the second half of the 16th - early 17th centuries. (1566-1609).

As a result of this war, the Netherlands was divided into independent republic United Provinces (Holland) and the Spanish Southern Netherlands (modern Belgium).

Background

In the first half of the 16th century. The Netherlands were the richest part of the empire of Charles V (see). It has spread widely in the country. Charles of Habsburg and his son Philip II fought hard against Protestantism. Tax oppression and trade bans of the Habsburgs in relation to the Netherlands also played a big role.

The War of Liberation was both a struggle for church reform and against the Spanish crown.

Events

1525- Charles V creates an Inquisition court in the Netherlands, which executes many thousands of people.

Philip II, who became king in 1559, increases taxes in the Netherlands and also prohibits the purchase of English wool necessary for the production of cloth.

1566- a delegation of Dutch nobles demanded that Margaret of Parma close the inquisitorial courts and convene the Estates General.

1566- Iconoclastic uprising (in the southern provinces). An uprising of townspeople, peasants and nobles. Rebellious Calvinists destroy icons and statues of saints.

1567- The army of the Duke of Alba entered the Netherlands. Alba establishes a Council for Rebellion, thousands become victims of Catholic terror. A Gueuze insurgency is unfolding in the country, receiving the support of English and German Protestants.

1572- the sea gueuzes captured the city of Brielle. Beginning of the uprising in the northern provinces.

Participants

In the first half of the 16th century. Protestant faiths began to penetrate into the country. Charles V issued special laws against supporters of the Reformation and established a tribunal of the Inquisition. Discontent with taxes and religious persecution increased, but under Charles V it did not develop into open disobedience: as part of the empire, the Netherlands had ample opportunities for trade in all parts of the world. Philip II's policy in the Netherlands was determined solely by the interests of Spain. The Netherlands lost trade benefits in Spain's colonies, and the Anglo-Spanish conflict paralyzed the development of trade between the Netherlands and England. Under Philip II, the position of the Catholic Church and the Inquisition strengthened. Among the dissatisfied were many nobles, including the aristocrats Prince William of Orange, the counts of Egmont and Horn.

Rice. 2. William of Orange ()

The delegation of nobles presented their appeal to the viceroy Margaret of Parma. Their modest clothing gave rise to one of the nobles to contemptuously call them gyozas, that is, beggars. Soon they began to call all patriots and opponents of the Spanish regime. The liberation movement began in the summer of 1566 with a mass uprising of iconoclasts. By the spring of 1567, the uprising was suppressed. To pacify the rebellious Netherlands, a punitive army led by the Duke of Alba was hastily sent. The Spaniards took over everything most important cities and began to crack down on the rebels. The first to lay down their heads on the block were the aristocrats - the Counts of Egmont and Horn. This was followed by the execution of ordinary participants in the uprising. A special council in the case of the riots, nicknamed the “bloody council,” condemned 8 thousand people to death. The Inquisition hunted down the Calvinists and incited them to denounce them, promising the informers the property of the convicted as a reward. The Duke of Alba demanded huge taxes from the Netherlands. Alba's cruelty, however, convinced many that it was futile to hope for mercy from the Spaniards, and therefore it was necessary to continue the fight against them. Terror did not bring the Netherlands to its knees. A guerrilla war began in the country. Peasants and artisans went into the forests, where detachments of “forest guerrillas” were formed. Fishermen, sailors, traders and shipowners became “sea gueuzes”. They attacked Spanish ships and coastal fortresses, and then took refuge in the ports of Protestant England, which secretly supported them.

Rice. 3. Capture of Brill with “sea gueuzes” ()

The opposition nobility and cities were led by Prince William of Orange, a cautious politician nicknamed the Silent. At first, Silent did not approve of the partisans' actions, hoping to achieve success with the help of German landsknechts and English Protestant volunteers. However, most of his enterprises were unsuccessful, while the Guez inflicted painful blows on the Spaniards. Therefore, William of Orange was forced to enter into an alliance with the Guez and plan joint actions with them.

All northern provinces rebelled, cities one after another expelled the Spanish garrisons. Freed from foreign masters, the richest provinces - Holland and Zeeland - called on William of Orange and proclaimed him their ruler - the Stadthouder. The Spaniards, who managed to keep the Southern Netherlands under their rule, attacked the rebellious North with all their might, but the local population was determined not to return under the Spanish yoke. When towns and villages could not withstand siege, the Dutch opened the floodgates and flooded their lands to prevent them from falling to the Spaniards.

In 1579 the Northern Netherlands, as well as central provinces- Flanders and Brabant - signed a treaty of alliance in the city of Utrecht - a union that consolidated a common goal - a war with Spain until complete independence was achieved. In 1581 they declared Philip II deposed. But among the townspeople there were also many who were indecisive or in favor of peace with the enemy, for example, merchants who traded with Spain, and clothiers who supplied their products there. The local nobility, alarmed by the scale of the guerrilla war, were also ready to recognize the authority of Philip II in exchange for some liberties and permission to practice the Calvinist faith. Such sentiments caused discord in the camp of the rebels, which ultimately led to the fall of the main city of this region - Antwerp - and the defeat of the liberation movement in the central provinces.

The northern provinces acted more decisively, determined to achieve independence. This was explained by the fact that their trade interests were not limited to Spain, but were focused on England, Northern Germany, and Scandinavia.

Despite the fact that the liberation movement in the Netherlands was led by representatives of the bourgeoisie, large merchants and entrepreneurs, for many years they looked for a monarch among the princes of the blood in all neighboring powers. The throne was offered to the English Queen Elizabeth I and the French Prince of Anjou. These negotiations were conducted by William of Orange, who intended to remain only the viceroy of the future king. But Elizabeth I rejected the offer, the Prince of Anjou died, and in 1584 the Silent fell at the hands of an assassin sent by the Jesuits. Only after it became clear that there would be no new claimants to the throne did the United Provinces declare themselves a republic. Spain did not recognize the independence of the new state, but in fact was forced to come to terms with it. The Catholic power did not have the former power to re-conquer its former subjects.

Liberation from Spanish rule caused rapid economic growth in the United Provinces and, chief among them, Holland. At the beginning of the 17th century. along with England, it became a leader among European countries in the field of production and trade. Thanks to high quality Dutch cloth enjoyed success throughout Europe - from Russia to Italy. One after another, manufactories grew here, new shipyards, banks, and insurance companies opened. The merchant fleet of the United Provinces consisted of 4.5 thousand ships and was the largest in Europe. The largest center international trade and banking became the Dutch port of Amsterdam, while the volume of trade in Seville, Lisbon and Antwerp, controlled by the Spaniards, was declining.

The Dutch quickly made up for lost time during the era of the Great geographical discoveries. They became involved in the struggle for colonies and the division of spheres of influence in the world. At the beginning of the 17th century. Dutch merchants penetrated Africa and launched a widespread trade in slaves with America. Competing with the British, they founded the East India Company to trade with India, the Spice Islands, and China, which brought great profits. In 1642-1644. Dutchman Abel Janson Tasman was the first European to explore the coasts of Australia, New Zealand, as well as many islands in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, one of which was named after him by Tasmania.

Rice. 4. Colonial possessions of Spain ()

Bibliography

1. Bulychev K. Secrets of the New Time. - M., 2005

2. Vedyushkin V. A., Burin S. N. General history. History of modern times. 7th grade. - M., 2010

3. Koenigsberger G. Early Modern Europe. 1500-1789 - M., 2006

4. Soloviev S. Course New history. - M., 2003

3. History of Ukraine and world history ()

Homework

1. Why did the Netherlands rebel against Spanish rule?

2. What segments of the population of the Netherlands participated in the fight against Spain?

3. What are the reasons for the rapid development of Holland?

A tough tax system, features of finding housing and moving, and remarkable facts about the Dutch.

The founder of the tinyBuild game studio, Alex Nichiporchik, wrote a column for the DTF publication about creating a company in the Netherlands, living conditions and taxation of the country.

Now in beautiful city The Unite conference is taking place in Amsterdam. In my Facebook feed I see a bunch of acquaintances admiring the city and the country as a whole. I lived there from 2010 to 2017 - exactly seven years.

I moved there in 2010 to work at Spil Games. There I met a lot of flash developers who eventually switched to developing PC games. At the end of 2011, I started a side project, which you know today as tinyBuild. We still have a studio in Holland dedicated to porting and co-development of games.

Now I am building a studio in the USA, the developments of which will be known early next year. In this article I want to talk about the experience of seven years of living in Holland.

Why Amsterdam doesn't represent the Netherlands

It is important to understand that Amsterdam is a tourist center and does not represent the country as a whole. Only 800 thousand people live in it, and in the whole country there are more than 16 million. By comparison, Latvia's territory is almost the same size, and its population is only 2 million people. Holland is very densely populated and it is difficult to find rural wilderness or nature. The forests are very sparse, each with carefully laid paths and maps. It's almost impossible to get lost.

If you're thinking about moving to Holland, I recommend the Te Gooi area. If you take Amsterdam, Utrecht and Amersfoort on the map, then you can point your finger at any point of the formed triangle and end up in a good area for living. Go to Utrecht and see it. Similar to Amsterdam, but cheaper and with fewer tourists. Amersfoort is a little further away, but it has a beautiful center in the form of a fenced castle with walls.

Main streets of Hilversum. Lots of cafes and shops

Hilversum: why I moved there and stayed

I initially moved to the city of Hilversum only because my employer company was based there. For €800 a month you could rent an apartment of 80 square meters, very close to the station, shops and work. Suddenly the need for a car completely disappeared.

About visas and legal issues I'll talk separately. Now about the practical part.

Ordinary park. Every city has one

​When you move to Holland, suddenly there is a ton of bureaucracy. I'm talking about practical things like the Internet, registering with a water provider, electricity, and the like. Never skimp on a realtor. Rent an apartment through an agency. You will have to pay approximately three monthly fees: for the first and last month to the owner of the apartment and another month for the services of a realtor.

The realtor will register you everywhere and make sure that you have water and electricity. €300 per person per month must be immediately budgeted for mandatory expenses. This includes health insurance, utilities and city taxes. You will pay for the supply of water to your home, for its filtration and maintenance of the infrastructure - all to separate companies. Therefore, an apartment for €800 per month will cost you €1-€1.1 thousand in mandatory expenses.

This is all something to keep in mind when negotiating your salary. Life in old Europe is very expensive.

My courtyard in Hilversum

Hilversum is 30 minutes by train from the airport and has everything I needed: a beautiful center, a cinema, compactness and practicality. When I left Spil Games and started building tinyBuild, it turned out that HKU University is also located there, where they teach Unity and game design - very convenient. Amsterdam is 20 minutes by train. And this is the very center of the Te Gooi area, it is considered safe and beautiful. I got on my bike - and after 15 minutes you are in the forest, 20 minutes - and you are on the beach on the lake.

This is the stone monument in Hilversum

Many people consider Hilversum boring, and if you need a more party place, this is clearly not the place for you, it’s better to live in Utrecht. There are a lot of universities there and a big party scene, including the game development community. And if you want a bunch of drunk Brits in mankinis, go to Amsterdam.

Salaries, finances and benefits

Living in Holland is expensive both in terms of living costs and taxes. If you are an IT professional, the easiest way to move to Holland is on a highly skilled expat visa. It puts forward a number of requirements in the form of education or outstanding achievements in the field of high technology and gives a large tax discount.

When negotiating your salary, you should expect that at least 30% of it will go to taxes. “Gross” (income before taxes) is always specified. The salary requirement for this visa changes every year, but is generally less than €50k per year. Most often, this figure is enough to rent housing and live comfortably.

30% rolling

​Find out immediately whether you are subject to 30% rulling - this is when 30% of your salary is not subject to taxes. That is, from a salary of €50 thousand per year, €15 thousand are automatically given “for free”, without taxation. The same bonus can move you down a notch, since the tax system in the country is progressive. Let’s calculate with and without 30% “ruling” based on €50 thousand per year, using a calculator.

Without 30% "rolling"

It turns out to be €2.8 thousand “net” per month. Please note that the employer pays approximately 30% of his taxes on top. This applies to employees only. If you run your own business and consider yourself hired, add another 30% on top.

This means that if you ask for a salary of €4 thousand per month (approximately €50 thousand per year), you will take home €2.8 thousand without tax benefits.

With 30% rolling

The taxable salary turns out to be €37 thousand per year. There are reasons why this is not exactly “minus 30%”. It's complicated. You can calculate your own progressive taxes for 2017 along with non-taxable minimums.

As you can see, the difference is significant. In 2010, this discount was given for 10 years, today it is given for seven. Its task is to integrate international specialists into society. Without it, making money becomes very expensive. The highest level of income tax is 52%. This means that at one moment you realize that you have spent €1 on top of every €1 that you spend.

Write-off of real estate

Living room and home office. Here tinyBuild began, at one point there were eight people sitting here - until they rented an office. This ladder broke my toe. You can't go down it drunk

In Holland you can get a loan to buy a house. This is very difficult and you need to have a lot of money in your account, a good work history, a permanent work contract, and so on. But You can write off your home mortgage on your taxes.

Structure of labor contracts

Yes, in Holland everything is very expensive in terms of taxes. And if you are an employer, don’t bother there at all. In addition to the employer tax laws that I mentioned, there is also a catch with contracts.

For example, if I hire a person, I give him a contract for a year. If I suddenly decide to fire him after three months, I have to pay him for the whole year.

If I renew my contract, I can extend it for a year or two (everyone does it for one year). But the third contract must be permanent. It is almost impossible to fire people with a permanent contract - it is necessary to negotiate. By law, this is at least one salary for each year of work of the employee (if there are good reasons for dismissal). If they don’t exist, people are paid two years’ salary. I saw how employees with permanent contracts went off sick for a year and a half, and after the ninth month of sick leave they were still required to pay 70% of their salary.

The country is full of castles and ancient architecture. Holland was not touched at all during World War II

Holland is a paradise for workers and a hell for innovators and founders.

There are minimum salary requirements for company founders. This means that I, as the director of my company, cannot pay myself a salary of €0. There is a minimum set, and to get around it, you have to ask for an exception from the government.

Isn't it possible to just be a freelancer or sole proprietor?

I asked this question when we started the studio. The short answer is no. There is a law that prevents freelancers from working for one client for more than six months a year. Many try to bypass it through company structures. We transferred employees between several paying companies, although in fact everyone was working on the same project. It works, but not for long.

The only thing you can do as an employer is to pay another 30% on top of all taxes and work through a recruitment agency. They are licensed to issue hourly contracts without restrictions.

For all these reasons, game development is very weak in Holland. There is no one there besides Guerilla Games. All first-generation indies have died out, or are unable to expand due to restrictions due to the risks of hiring employees. It's honestly shameful. For the same reason I left there. But that's not what the article is about.

It's clean, everyone's smiling, and there's no lower or upper class

Yes, taxes are huge and this is all very sad in terms of creating a business. But if you are going to work for an established IT company, then Holland is paradise.

Everyone is smiling. Everywhere is clean. No homeless people. Almost all drugs have been decriminalized. Everyone is in the “middle” class. The last thing, I hope, is obvious - if there are huge taxes, then it is very difficult to be rich. And the poor are supported by a strong social system.

The Dutch have a well thought out assistance system. You can't fall so hard that you don't stay home. Most homeless people find themselves in such situations due to mental illness, but the country has solutions to these problems too. As I already said, I have seen people go on sick leave for a year. This is called “burnout” (when you are tired at work). It sounds like a joke, but there is something to it.

There is little sun in the country, bad weather, and people begin to get depressed. If you find yourself on the street and want to eat, you don’t go ask for help. You contact the local government, they give you a place to stay and food in exchange for going to a specialist and integrating you into society.

Game developer example

A developer comes to me for an interview. I studied Unity Developer at the university (bachelor's degree). He has been unemployed for a year. I ask what he has been doing this year. He says I’m collecting unemployment, it’s difficult, I’m already tired. Wants to work. I ask - where are the examples of work? Where is the experience? He says that he has no experience, because he is busy receiving unemployment benefits. It is clear that I will not keep such an unmotivated person in the office.

The next day the government calls me and starts haggling. “Well, give him a chance! We will pay his salary for four months! For six! And we’ll give tax breaks!”

The system has its comic moments, but it works.

The standard of living is actually very high on average. There are no poor people. No rich people. People are very happy and enjoy life. For example, if you want to buy a car - for example, a BMW 5 Series - you will pay 20% above the market value as tax, €200 per month and €150 for insurance. Big heavy cars are a luxury and very expensive.

Holland did not experience the financial crisis of the late 2000s. It is difficult to get loans here (even credit card), and therefore residents did not feel the consequences. People know how to enjoy what they have. Therefore, when I came to work in a healthy SUV (with Latvian license plates), I was judged and feared.

People are afraid to stand out, to be normal - it's quite crazy. They are very constrained and like to approach problems in a binary way. This is where the charm of small Dutch doll houses comes from. That's why no one dresses nicely. Dutch girls do not know the words “heels” and “cosmetics”. Imagine what it’s like to come with a beautiful Ukrainian girl to a corporate party.

All these things help in business because people are afraid of conflict. For example, the head of the university from which we hired employees once tried to publicly put pressure on me - why we don’t hire everyone with the “correct” contracts. I went on a local talk show and openly challenged him and the entire Dutch government on this topic - they say, why are you strangling startups? As a result, I was offered to be a lecturer at this university.

One of tinyBuild's early corporate events. We sailed on a boat on the lake and drank beer. In good weather, it is customary to rent a boat and sail to one of the islands with restaurants and burgers.

How to stuff 10 Dutchmen into a Mini Cooper

There is a Belgian joke. The Dutch are typically tall. Mini Cooper is a small car. How to cram 10 Dutch people into it? Throw a coin there.

When Yulia, our PR director, worked as a showcase director at Casual Connect, a funny situation happened at their Amsterdam show. We rented a hostel for indie developers. The total amount is over six thousand euros. While transferring money, €10 was lost somewhere on the counter. Because of these unfortunate €10, the hostel called and threatened to cancel the reservation. I had to ask my friends to run to this hotel and pay the difference.

It is very difficult to work with the Dutch. They are very, very picky and greedy in terms of money. Not a single Dutchman will say: “Okay, then you’ll return it.” This is also due to the tax situation described above.

“Let's have a beer today?” - “No, I can do it in 14 weeks”

The Dutch also love to plan. I have never seen anyone who could easily get up and drink beer after work. Usually it was a group of foreigners. A true Dutchman has already planned everything six months in advance.

At first this really annoyed me. Then I realized that this was necessary because of the general structure of the work: if you want to see a doctor, you need to make an appointment four weeks in advance. You can’t just come somewhere and say “I want to do this,” for example, go go-karting or play paintball. There are so many people in the country that initiatives need to be planned in advance and schedules quickly fill up.

This is also complicated by the fact that many people travel 100-150 kilometers each way every day. The train system is very developed and many people spend 2–3 hours on them on a working day. There is almost no time left for spontaneity.

I have learned to find a balance in this, but honestly, in my personal life I get more done in one week in the USA than in a month in Holland.

Drugs

Yes, almost everything in the country has been decriminalized. You can buy marijuana or mushrooms. No one will go to jail for hard drugs. Many people ask me how bad it is and how often do you “meet drug addicts”. The answer is very simple - I have never seen a fight between “smoked” people. Everyone sits in coffee shops and plays chess or other board games. These are very friendly people. And the British use hard drugs in Amsterdam (nobody likes them).

In Holland there is a culture of tolerance for this. If you want to do something, do it, the main thing is not to disturb others around you. Therefore, there are no problems with drugs as such. And with such social assistance, people always have someone to talk to.

“Not my job” culture

Another reason why Holland is bad at game development and very good at any stable industry is the approach to work. They love specialization. My job is to make a picture. Yours - embed it on the site. We do this well and effectively. If suddenly I need to both make and insert this picture, the system collapses. The culture cannot handle multitasking.

Therefore, they can successfully take existing technologies and optimize them. Build effective processes that can be scaled. But this doesn’t work in the gaming industry, since processes change every year and a half. And if you can't fire people you no longer need, the business collapses. But if you can build a process in a stable industry and hire people who take a very responsible approach to their single task, you can succeed.

Some interesting facts

Common Phenomenon: Dutch Housewife

  • Bicycle is life. There are paths everywhere, the country is flat. I love cycling along it.
  • The last Monday of January is called “Blue Monday” - this is when no one has seen the sun for several months. The number of suicides is jumping, and the whole country feels it. The only way to kill yourself is to jump in front of a train, the country is “standing up” because the trains are not running.
  • People love open windows. You walk around and see who is doing what. The culture of openness is shocking at first.
  • The correct pronunciation of the letter "g" is like having shards of glass stuck in your throat.
  • The Dutch are tall and ride bicycles. This means they have huge lungs, and in the evenings when they gather at the bar it gets crazy loud. Seriously, you can go deaf.
  • In the same bars (and not only) they love to crowd. 150 people will stand at 50 meters and feel comfortable.

I am drinking beer. I buy four at once, 0.3 each, so as not to have to go shopping for more.

Beer is drunk from very small glasses - 0.3 each. The theory is that the beer then doesn't become warm and stale. I began to agree with this in the third year, when I drank 27 of these glasses in the evening.

 

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