For the first time since the 1950s the Netherlands is experiencing an emigration wave.
A large-scale survey on the determinants of emigration has shown that most Dutch emigrants are in search of the good life: space, nature, peace and quiet and friendly people. Two years after having stated their intention to emigrate, 24 percent had
actually left the Netherlands.

Dalen van, H.P.

Henkens, C.J.I.M.

Nicolaas, H.

English

KNAW Repository

VOLUME 24, SPECIAL ISSUE 1
contents
A publication 
of the
Netherlands
Interdisciplinary
Demographic
Institute
1 Emigration of the Dutch and their 
search of the ‘Good Life’
3 Changes in desired family size 
during the life course
5 Pathways into childlessness
6 Dutch Muslims to remain a minority
8 Family solidarity in Europe alive 
and well
10 Fat chance!
12 Living happier ever after?
dem s
Volume 24
July 2008
Special Issue
ISSN 0169-1473
p
h
o
t
o
:
 
P
r
i
v
a
t
e
 
c
o
l
l
e
c
t
i
o
n
Bulletin
on 
Population
and 
Society
SPECIAL ISSUE EUROPEAN POPULATION CONFERENCE
2008
For the first time since the 1950s the
Netherlands is experiencing an emigra-
tion wave.A large-scale survey on the
determinants of emigration has shown
that most Dutch emigrants are in
search of the good life: space, nature,
peace and quiet and friendly people.
Two years after having stated their
intention to emigrate, 24 percent had
actually left the Netherlands.
In 2007 emigration from the Netherlands exceeded immigration for the fifth year
in a row, reaching a level of 123,000, or 7.5 emigrants per 1,000 inhabitants. The
Dutch media have reported repeatedly about this unique phenomenon because it
caught demographic forecasters by surprise. The last emigration wave occurred
fifty years ago and the Netherlands is now the only western country in Europe
with net emigration. The fact that people are leaving the Netherlands on such a
large scale has worried the media and politicians. What puzzled them is that the
Dutch case contradicts common knowledge and economic logic. Most migration
flows are triggered by the prospect of improving one’s economic status, but the
Netherlands is one of the most prosperous countries in the world, so why leave a
country that has been the destination of immigrants for decades?
To see who had left, we used national data provided by Statistics Netherlands
(CBS). In order to find out why people had left and who had emigration plans we
carried out a survey among a representative sample of the Dutch in 2005. And to
gain more insight into the characteristics of the Dutch emigrant we carried out a
survey among a group of potential emigrants who had visited an emigrants’ fair.
This type of oversampling provided a picture of the determinants of emigration
intentions. Two years later, we tracked the whereabouts of the entire sample of
2005 with the help of Statistics Netherlands.
Emigration of the Dutch and their 
search of the ‘Good Life’
HARRY VAN DALEN, KÈNE HENKENS AND HAN NICOLAAS
314519_Demos_Special Issue_july_2008  02-07-2008  11:45  Pagina 1VOLUME 24, SPECIAL ISSUE 2
Who has left?
An analysis of the national emigration figures
of Dutch-born in the period 1999-2006 reveals
that men are twice as likely to emigrate as
women and that the step to emigrate is mostly
taken by the young (younger than 30). In terms
of income, the Dutch with an income in the top
decile are most likely to emigrate. Most Dutch
emigrants remain in Europe: 69 percent choose
a European destination. It hardly comes as a
surprise that most emigrants move to one of the
neighbouring countries, Germany or Belgium.
In these cases, however, people tend to live just
across the border and continue working in the
Netherlands. The main reason for opting for
this form of migration may be the high housing
and land prices in the Netherlands and the fact
that Belgium and Germany have spacious
houses that are virtually unaffordable for
middle-income classes in the Netherlands.
Excluding Belgium and Germany, Europe is
still the destination of choice for 31 percent of
Dutch emigrants. Traditional emigration
countries such as the US and Canada attract 15
percent of emigrants. The table presents the top
ten countries of destination for native Dutch
emigrants.
Why leave?
The NIDI emigration survey carried out in
2005 showed that three percent of the Dutch
population had more or less firm emigration
plans. By following their subsequent actions we
were able to see whether they achieved their
intentions. The predictive value of intentions
proved to be quite good: 24 percent of the
people had left after two years. Considering the
fact that emigration is a complex process invol-
ving bureaucratic red tape and problems such
as selling one’s home or business, one could
even state that this percentage is quite high.
The most pertinent question with regard to the
Dutch wave of emigration is, of course, why
people are leaving. Examining what determines
emigration intentions and subsequent action
provides a clear picture. The determinants can
be classified into two groups: (a) individual
characteristics one would expect to be relevant
if emigration were purely a matter of private
gain (e.g. age, human capital, health, networks,
personality traits); and (b) the provision and
perceived quality of the public domain in the
Netherlands. In case of public goods, such as
roads, education or the environment, the
welfare of each individual depends on the
actions and solidarity of others and perhaps
even more so in a crowded country like the
Netherlands. Based on a statistical analysis, the
following elements were selected to represent
the public domain: (1) the Dutch welfare state
and institutions that provide public goods and
services (law and order, social security,
education, healthcare); (2) the quality of the
public space (noise pollution, space, nature,
overcrowding); and (3) an evaluation of the
social problems government has to deal with,
such as crime, pollution and ethnic tension.
The results of our study reveal that both the
private and the public domain are important
for an understanding of emigration from a
high-income country like the Netherlands.
Without knowing how people feel about the
quality of the public domain, large-scale
emigration would remain a mystery. The more
negative people are about the public domain,
the more likely it is that they will emigrate (see
Figure). Of course, Dutch people who stay in
the Netherlands are also negative about aspects
of the public domain, but emigrants are far
more negative than those who stay behind. The
biggest difference between emigrants and those
who stay behind is their assessment of the
quality of the public space. 
One may, of course, wonder whether emigrants
are much better off in their country of
destination in terms of their reasons for
emigrating. At the time of the survey, they were
only asked about their expectations and in this
respect all emigrants believed the quality of the
public space would be far better in their
‘promised land’ and that social problems would
be less serious. Note that only 17 percent
believed they would earn a higher income
abroad and as many as 29 percent expected
their income to drop following emigration. In
other words, the Dutch are even prepared to
pay to leave their country. 
Assessing the quality of the public and private domains in the Netherlands – emigrants versus stayers 
(percentage (highly) negative opinions)
0 2 04 06 08 0 1 0 0
Emigrants
Stayers
Home
Income
Social contacts
Education
Pension system
Healthcare
Job situation
Social security
Legal system
Multicultural society
Nature and space
Pollution
Peace and quiet
Crime
Mentality of the people
Population density
% negative opinion
% singles % self 
employed
Age at time of
departure
Frequency
distribution
Where do Dutch emigrants go? Top ten countries of destination of Dutch-born emigrants (excluding
children) and some characteristics
Destination
1 Belgium 21.1 40.3 9.0 24.8
2 Germany 17.1 40.6 7.2 24.3
3 France 6.5 45.5 10.3 20.9
4 USA 6.4 35.6 3.3 29.5
5 UK 6.1 32.8 2.2 42.6
6 Spain 5.9 43.7 9.6 25.9
7 Netherlands Antilles and Aruba 5.5 35.5 4.3 26.2
8 Australia 3.3 33.9 4.8 34.3
9 Canada 2.7 38.2 17.8 20.0
10 Switzerland 2.0 36.2 3.1 33.2
Source: CBS.
314519_Demos_Special Issue_july_2008  02-07-2008  11:45  Pagina 2VOLUME 24, SPECIAL ISSUE 3
This study suggests that the quality of the
public domain is an important aspect of quality
of life and those who have moved are implicitly
casting a vote of no confidence in their
country. By choosing the exit option and
foregoing the option of voicing one’s opinion,
governments feel the pressure to maintain a
high quality public domain. Competition is
therefore no longer restricted to local
governments but is increasingly becoming an
affair between national governments. And this
very observation may perhaps be the true sign
that we are currently living in an age of
globalisation.
REFERENCES:
• Dalen, H.P. van and K. Henkens (2007), Longing for
the good life: Understanding emigration from a high-
income country, Population and Development Review,
33, pp. 37-65.
• Dalen, H.P. van and K. Henkens (2008), Weg uit
Nederland - Emigratie aan het begin van de 21e eeuw,
NIDI-rapport no. 75, KNAW-press.
H.P . van Dalen, NIDI and CentER, University of
Tilburg, e-mail: dalen@nidi.nl, K. Henkens, NIDI,
e-mail: henkens@nidi.nl and H. Nicolaas,
Statistics Netherlands (CBS), e-mail: HCNS@cbs.nl
314519_Demos_Special Issue_july_2008  02-07-2008  11:45  Pagina 3

Emigration of the Dutch and their search of the "good life"

For the first time since the 1950s the Netherlands is experiencing an emigration wave. A large-scale survey on the determinants of emigration has shown that most Dutch emigrants are in search of the good life: space, nature, peace and quiet and friendly people. Two years after having stated their intention to emigrate, 24 percent had actually left the Netherlands

van Dalen, Harry

Tilburg University Repository

    Tilburg UniversityEmigration of the Dutch and their search of the ‘Good Life’van Dalen, Harry; Henkens, C.J.I.M.; Nicolaas, H.Published in:Demos: Bulletin over Bevolking en SamenlevingPublication date:2008Document VersionPublisher's PDF, also known as Version of recordLink to publication in Tilburg University Research PortalCitation for published version (APA):van Dalen, H., Henkens, C. J. I. M., & Nicolaas, H. (2008). Emigration of the Dutch and their search of the ‘GoodLife’. Demos: Bulletin over Bevolking en Samenleving, 24(7), 1-3.General rightsCopyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright ownersand it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights.            • Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research.            • You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain            • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portalTake down policyIf you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediatelyand investigate your claim.Download date: 26. Sep. 2023VOLUME 24, SPECIAL ISSUE 1contentsA publication of theNetherlandsInterdisciplinaryDemographicInstitute1 Emigration of the Dutch and their search of the ‘Good Life’3 Changes in desired family size during the life course5 Pathways into childlessness6 Dutch Muslims to remain a minority8 Family solidarity in Europe alive and well10 Fat chance!12 Living happier ever after?d e m sVolume 24July 2008Special IssueISSN 016 9 -1473photo: Private collectionBulletinon Populationand SocietySPECIAL ISSUE EUROPEAN POPULATION CONFERENCE2008For the first time since the 1950s theNetherlands is experiencing an emigra-tion wave. A large-scale survey on thedeterminants of emigration has shownthat most Dutch emigrants are insearch of the good life: space, nature,peace and quiet and friendly people.Two years after having stated theirintention to emigrate, 24 percent hadactually left the Netherlands.In 2007 emigration from the Netherlands exceeded immigration for the fifth yearin a row, reaching a level of 123,000, or 7.5 emigrants per 1,000 inhabitants. TheDutch media have reported repeatedly about this unique phenomenon because itcaught demographic forecasters by surprise. The last emigration wave occurredfifty years ago and the Netherlands is now the only western country in Europewith net emigration. The fact that people are leaving the Netherlands on such alarge scale has worried the media and politicians. What puzzled them is that theDutch case contradicts common knowledge and economic logic. Most migrationflows are triggered by the prospect of improving one’s economic status, but theNetherlands is one of the most prosperous countries in the world, so why leave acountry that has been the destination of immigrants for decades?To see who had left, we used national data provided by Statistics Netherlands(CBS). In order to find out why people had left and who had emigration plans wecarried out a survey among a representative sample of the Dutch in 2005. And togain more insight into the characteristics of the Dutch emigrant we carried out asurvey among a group of potential emigrants who had visited an emigrants’ fair.This type of oversampling provided a picture of the determinants of emigrationintentions. Two years later, we tracked the whereabouts of the entire sample of2005 with the help of Statistics Netherlands.Emigration of the Dutch and their search of the ‘Good Life’HARRY VAN DALEN, KÈNE HENKENS AND HAN NICOLAAS314519_Demos_Special Issue_july_2008  02-07-2008  11:45  Pagina 1VOLUME 24, SPECIAL ISSUE2Who has left?An analysis of the national emigration figuresof Dutch-born in the period 1999-2006 revealsthat men are twice as likely to emigrate aswomen and that the step to emigrate is mostlytaken by the young (younger than 30). In termsof income, the Dutch with an income in the topdecile are most likely to emigrate. Most Dutchemigrants remain in Europe: 69 percent choosea European destination. It hardly comes as asurprise that most emigrants move to one of theneighbouring countries, Germany or Belgium.In these cases, however, people tend to live justacross the border and continue working in theNetherlands. The main reason for opting forthis form of migration may be the high housingand land prices in the Netherlands and the factthat Belgium and Germany have spacioushouses that are virtually unaffordable formiddle-income classes in the Netherlands.Excluding Belgium and Germany, Europe isstill the destination of choice for 31 percent ofDutch emigrants. Traditional emigrationcountries such as the US and Canada attract 15percent of emigrants. The table presents the topten countries of destination for native Dutchemigrants.Why leave?The NIDI emigration survey carried out in2005 showed that three percent of the Dutchpopulation had more or less firm emigrationplans. By following their subsequent actions wewere able to see whether they achieved theirintentions. The predictive value of intentionsproved to be quite good: 24 percent of thepeople had left after two years. Considering thefact that emigration is a complex process invol-ving bureaucratic red tape and problems suchas selling one’s home or business, one couldeven state that this percentage is quite high.The most pertinent question with regard to theDutch wave of emigration is, of course, whypeople are leaving. Examining what determinesemigration intentions and subsequent actionprovides a clear picture. The determinants canbe classified into two groups: (a) individualcharacteristics one would expect to be relevantif emigration were purely a matter of privategain (e.g. age, human capital, health, networks,personality traits); and (b) the provision andperceived quality of the public domain in theNetherlands. In case of public goods, such asroads, education or the environment, thewelfare of each individual depends on theactions and solidarity of others and perhapseven more so in a crowded country like theNetherlands. Based on a statistical analysis, thefollowing elements were selected to representthe public domain: (1) the Dutch welfare stateand institutions that provide public goods andservices (law and order, social security,education, healthcare); (2) the quality of thepublic space (noise pollution, space, nature,overcrowding); and (3) an evaluation of thesocial problems government has to deal with,such as crime, pollution and ethnic tension.The results of our study reveal that both theprivate and the public domain are importantfor an understanding of emigration from ahigh-income country like the Netherlands.Without knowing how people feel about thequality of the public domain, large-scaleemigration would remain a mystery. The morenegative people are about the public domain,the more likely it is that they will emigrate (seeFigure). Of course, Dutch people who stay inthe Netherlands are also negative about aspectsof the public domain, but emigrants are farmore negative than those who stay behind. Thebiggest difference between emigrants and thosewho stay behind is their assessment of thequality of the public space. One may, of course, wonder whether emigrantsare much better off in their country ofdestination in terms of their reasons foremigrating. At the time of the survey, they wereonly asked about their expectations and in thisrespect all emigrants believed the quality of thepublic space would be far better in their‘promised land’ and that social problems wouldbe less serious. Note that only 17 percentbelieved they would earn a higher incomeabroad and as many as 29 percent expectedtheir income to drop following emigration. Inother words, the Dutch are even prepared topay to leave their country. Assessing the quality of the public and private domains in the Netherlands – emigrants versus stayers (percentage (highly) negative opinions)0 20 40 60 80 100EmigrantsStayersHomeIncomeSocial contactsEducationPension systemHealthcareJob situationSocial securityLegal systemMulticultural societyNature and spacePollutionPeace and quietCrimeMentality of the peoplePopulation density% negative opinion% singles% self employedAge at time ofdepartureFrequencydistributionWhere do Dutch emigrants go? Top ten countries of destination of Dutch-born emigrants (excludingchildren) and some characteristicsDestination1 Belgium 21.1 40.3 9.0 24.82 Germany 17.1 40.6 7.2 24.33 France 6.5 45.5 10.3 20.94 USA 6.4 35.6 3.3 29.55 UK 6.1 32.8 2.2 42.66 Spain 5.9 43.7 9.6 25.97 Netherlands Antilles and Aruba 5.5 35.5 4.3 26.28 Australia 3.3 33.9 4.8 34.39 Canada 2.7 38.2 17.8 20.010 Switzerland 2.0 36.2 3.1 33.2Source: CBS.314519_Demos_Special Issue_july_2008  02-07-2008  11:45  Pagina 2VOLUME 24, SPECIAL ISSUE 3This study suggests that the quality of thepublic domain is an important aspect of qualityof life and those who have moved are implicitlycasting a vote of no confidence in theircountry. By choosing the exit option andforegoing the option of voicing one’s opinion,governments feel the pressure to maintain ahigh quality public domain. Competition istherefore no longer restricted to localgovernments but is increasingly becoming anaffair between national governments. And thisvery observation may perhaps be the true signthat we are currently living in an age ofglobalisation.REFERENCES:• Dalen, H.P. van and K. Henkens (2007), Longing forthe good life: Understanding emigration from a high-income country, Population and Development Review,33, pp. 37-65.• Dalen, H.P. van and K. Henkens (2008), Weg uitNederland - Emigratie aan het begin van de 21e eeuw,NIDI-rapport no. 75, KNAW-press.H.P. van Dalen, NIDI and CentER, University ofTilburg, e-mail: dalen@nidi.nl, K. Henkens, NIDI,e-mail: henkens@nidi.nl and H. Nicolaas,Statistics Netherlands (CBS), e-mail: HCNS@cbs.nl314519_Demos_Special Issue_july_2008  02-07-2008  11:45  Pagina 3

Emigration of the Dutch and their search of the ‘Good Life’

NARCIS 

    Tilburg UniversityEmigration of the Dutch and their search of the ‘Good Life’van Dalen, Harry; Henkens, C.J.I.M.; Nicolaas, H.Published in:Demos: Bulletin over Bevolking en SamenlevingPublication date:2008Document VersionPublisher's PDF, also known as Version of recordLink to publication in Tilburg University Research PortalCitation for published version (APA):van Dalen, H., Henkens, C. J. I. M., & Nicolaas, H. (2008). Emigration of the Dutch and their search of the ‘GoodLife’. Demos: Bulletin over Bevolking en Samenleving, 24(7), 1-3.General rightsCopyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright ownersand it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights.            • Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research.            • You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain            • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portalTake down policyIf you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediatelyand investigate your claim.Download date: 12. May. 2021VOLUME 24, SPECIAL ISSUE 1contentsA publication of theNetherlandsInterdisciplinaryDemographicInstitute1 Emigration of the Dutch and their search of the ‘Good Life’3 Changes in desired family size during the life course5 Pathways into childlessness6 Dutch Muslims to remain a minority8 Family solidarity in Europe alive and well10 Fat chance!12 Living happier ever after?d e m sVolume 24July 2008Special IssueISSN 016 9 -1473photo: Private collectionBulletinon Populationand SocietySPECIAL ISSUE EUROPEAN POPULATION CONFERENCE2008For the first time since the 1950s theNetherlands is experiencing an emigra-tion wave. A large-scale survey on thedeterminants of emigration has shownthat most Dutch emigrants are insearch of the good life: space, nature,peace and quiet and friendly people.Two years after having stated theirintention to emigrate, 24 percent hadactually left the Netherlands.In 2007 emigration from the Netherlands exceeded immigration for the fifth yearin a row, reaching a level of 123,000, or 7.5 emigrants per 1,000 inhabitants. TheDutch media have reported repeatedly about this unique phenomenon because itcaught demographic forecasters by surprise. The last emigration wave occurredfifty years ago and the Netherlands is now the only western country in Europewith net emigration. The fact that people are leaving the Netherlands on such alarge scale has worried the media and politicians. What puzzled them is that theDutch case contradicts common knowledge and economic logic. Most migrationflows are triggered by the prospect of improving one’s economic status, but theNetherlands is one of the most prosperous countries in the world, so why leave acountry that has been the destination of immigrants for decades?To see who had left, we used national data provided by Statistics Netherlands(CBS). In order to find out why people had left and who had emigration plans wecarried out a survey among a representative sample of the Dutch in 2005. And togain more insight into the characteristics of the Dutch emigrant we carried out asurvey among a group of potential emigrants who had visited an emigrants’ fair.This type of oversampling provided a picture of the determinants of emigrationintentions. Two years later, we tracked the whereabouts of the entire sample of2005 with the help of Statistics Netherlands.Emigration of the Dutch and their search of the ‘Good Life’HARRY VAN DALEN, KÈNE HENKENS AND HAN NICOLAAS314519_Demos_Special Issue_july_2008  02-07-2008  11:45  Pagina 1VOLUME 24, SPECIAL ISSUE2Who has left?An analysis of the national emigration figuresof Dutch-born in the period 1999-2006 revealsthat men are twice as likely to emigrate aswomen and that the step to emigrate is mostlytaken by the young (younger than 30). In termsof income, the Dutch with an income in the topdecile are most likely to emigrate. Most Dutchemigrants remain in Europe: 69 percent choosea European destination. It hardly comes as asurprise that most emigrants move to one of theneighbouring countries, Germany or Belgium.In these cases, however, people tend to live justacross the border and continue working in theNetherlands. The main reason for opting forthis form of migration may be the high housingand land prices in the Netherlands and the factthat Belgium and Germany have spacioushouses that are virtually unaffordable formiddle-income classes in the Netherlands.Excluding Belgium and Germany, Europe isstill the destination of choice for 31 percent ofDutch emigrants. Traditional emigrationcountries such as the US and Canada attract 15percent of emigrants. The table presents the topten countries of destination for native Dutchemigrants.Why leave?The NIDI emigration survey carried out in2005 showed that three percent of the Dutchpopulation had more or less firm emigrationplans. By following their subsequent actions wewere able to see whether they achieved theirintentions. The predictive value of intentionsproved to be quite good: 24 percent of thepeople had left after two years. Considering thefact that emigration is a complex process invol-ving bureaucratic red tape and problems suchas selling one’s home or business, one couldeven state that this percentage is quite high.The most pertinent question with regard to theDutch wave of emigration is, of course, whypeople are leaving. Examining what determinesemigration intentions and subsequent actionprovides a clear picture. The determinants canbe classified into two groups: (a) individualcharacteristics one would expect to be relevantif emigration were purely a matter of privategain (e.g. age, human capital, health, networks,personality traits); and (b) the provision andperceived quality of the public domain in theNetherlands. In case of public goods, such asroads, education or the environment, thewelfare of each individual depends on theactions and solidarity of others and perhapseven more so in a crowded country like theNetherlands. Based on a statistical analysis, thefollowing elements were selected to representthe public domain: (1) the Dutch welfare stateand institutions that provide public goods andservices (law and order, social security,education, healthcare); (2) the quality of thepublic space (noise pollution, space, nature,overcrowding); and (3) an evaluation of thesocial problems government has to deal with,such as crime, pollution and ethnic tension.The results of our study reveal that both theprivate and the public domain are importantfor an understanding of emigration from ahigh-income country like the Netherlands.Without knowing how people feel about thequality of the public domain, large-scaleemigration would remain a mystery. The morenegative people are about the public domain,the more likely it is that they will emigrate (seeFigure). Of course, Dutch people who stay inthe Netherlands are also negative about aspectsof the public domain, but emigrants are farmore negative than those who stay behind. Thebiggest difference between emigrants and thosewho stay behind is their assessment of thequality of the public space. One may, of course, wonder whether emigrantsare much better off in their country ofdestination in terms of their reasons foremigrating. At the time of the survey, they wereonly asked about their expectations and in thisrespect all emigrants believed the quality of thepublic space would be far better in their‘promised land’ and that social problems wouldbe less serious. Note that only 17 percentbelieved they would earn a higher incomeabroad and as many as 29 percent expectedtheir income to drop following emigration. Inother words, the Dutch are even prepared topay to leave their country. Assessing the quality of the public and private domains in the Netherlands – emigrants versus stayers (percentage (highly) negative opinions)0 20 40 60 80 100EmigrantsStayersHomeIncomeSocial contactsEducationPension systemHealthcareJob situationSocial securityLegal systemMulticultural societyNature and spacePollutionPeace and quietCrimeMentality of the peoplePopulation density% negative opinion% singles% self employedAge at time ofdepartureFrequencydistributionWhere do Dutch emigrants go? Top ten countries of destination of Dutch-born emigrants (excludingchildren) and some characteristicsDestination1 Belgium 21.1 40.3 9.0 24.82 Germany 17.1 40.6 7.2 24.33 France 6.5 45.5 10.3 20.94 USA 6.4 35.6 3.3 29.55 UK 6.1 32.8 2.2 42.66 Spain 5.9 43.7 9.6 25.97 Netherlands Antilles and Aruba 5.5 35.5 4.3 26.28 Australia 3.3 33.9 4.8 34.39 Canada 2.7 38.2 17.8 20.010 Switzerland 2.0 36.2 3.1 33.2Source: CBS.314519_Demos_Special Issue_july_2008  02-07-2008  11:45  Pagina 2VOLUME 24, SPECIAL ISSUE 3This study suggests that the quality of thepublic domain is an important aspect of qualityof life and those who have moved are implicitlycasting a vote of no confidence in theircountry. By choosing the exit option andforegoing the option of voicing one’s opinion,governments feel the pressure to maintain ahigh quality public domain. Competition istherefore no longer restricted to localgovernments but is increasingly becoming anaffair between national governments. And thisvery observation may perhaps be the true signthat we are currently living in an age ofglobalisation.REFERENCES:• Dalen, H.P. van and K. Henkens (2007), Longing forthe good life: Understanding emigration from a high-income country, Population and Development Review,33, pp. 37-65.• Dalen, H.P. van and K. Henkens (2008), Weg uitNederland - Emigratie aan het begin van de 21e eeuw,NIDI-rapport no. 75, KNAW-press.H.P. van Dalen, NIDI and CentER, University ofTilburg, e-mail: dalen@nidi.nl, K. Henkens, NIDI,e-mail: henkens@nidi.nl and H. Nicolaas,Statistics Netherlands (CBS), e-mail: HCNS@cbs.nl314519_Demos_Special Issue_july_2008  02-07-2008  11:45  Pagina 3

Emigration of the Dutch and their search of the "good life"

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