METAHISTORIE.COM
Preface
We are currently undergoing major changes in our society. The welfare state is becoming unaffordable and is being transformed into a participation state. Hereby the influence of the government diminishes and people are more responsible for their environment, care and future (Troonrede, 2013). But in practice we see that this has made it more difficult for vulnerable groups from the middle and lower classes. They depend on the help of professionals. We also see that pensions are being cut. Employees have to work longer for their retirement and have almost no guarantee anymore to get a permanent contract.
At the same time, there were never so many people working in the Netherlands in 2019, but there is also a labor reserve of nearly 1.5 million people and many people want to work more. So there is plenty to do in 2019 for recruiting Netherlands. Sit still and not change on the trends of the labor market? That is not an option. At the moment, the fall in unemployment has stopped, but scarcity remains (still).
The following section discusses the concept of elite and the radical changes.
Elite
A (small) group of influential people who serve in society, organizations, etc. As early as 1911, sociologist Prof. Robert Michels found that both societies and organizations could become a group of rulers, a specific administrative elite. They lose contact with their people and staff. For example, even democratically elected administrators, as it were, live in a "different world" and start acting autocratically (unauthorized).
Administrative decadence
After a period of peace, welfare and prosperity, society falls into disrepair. This situation is partly due to the administrative elite becoming decadent. Parts of this elite have started to display "unnatural" behavior. Examples are immoral behavior, corruption, covering errors and salary increases and where directors are appointed via party political channels. This elite holds society firmly in its grip. The shortage of finances is passed on to middle and lower class people. The premiums increase, the deductible is increased and the citizen loses his / her certainty (Foundation, society and safety and prof. Dr. Marcel Pheiffer, 2014). You can determine yourself who belongs to one or another elite. An elite is not only found in politics, but also in organizations, churches and media. People often see the same people appear on TV in talk shows. 40% of the Dutch think that the gap between the elite and the people has increased (Social Cultural Planning Office, 9-12-2014).
Disruptive changes
We are currently also confronted with disruptive major social changes. They are sudden changes that disrupt the existing structure of a society in a short time. We have arrived at a peculiar and unpredictable phase in history. Almost nobody knows where we are heading. One crisis follows the other, both in nature and in societies. Old strongholds are being undermined, such as existing retail chains that are being displaced by web stores around the world. An example is the collapse of V&D. Society splits apart about the refugees. Political impotence to tackle the aforementioned social problems. Terrorist organizations such as IS can cause great forces and chaos in the world. We thought we knew it and then discovered that things are going differently now (Dr. G. Prins, study association Organization and Policy Rotterdam, 10 February 2016).
Elite and dissatisfaction
Prof. dr. Henri Beunders writes in Erasmus Magazine, January 2016, that there are currently splitting forces at work throughout Europe. It says a lot about the established order, that is the people who are scared. Their elite policy is threatened and that makes them uncertain. There is a fundamental discontent.
It is about three elements 1. An increasingly rich elite dominates politics. 2. For or against immigration. Before that are the people who in principle think they know what is good for humanity. But the unemployed, employees etc. are against. They see that their certainty is at stake and that they are in danger of falling by the wayside. Billions to Greece, the doors open and terrorist attacks. Then they get angry and want revenge. Prof. Beunders cannot blame them for that either. 3. The fear of losing cultural identity. You see that in Eastern Europe. They say we have sighed for years under the yoke of communism and should we now because Brussels wants to become a different country? Why force a multicultural globalized society? These three elements are also present in our country (Netherlands), as has already been discussed.
Danger
Mr. J.H. van Dijk points out the probability of the danger of the uprising of the mass man or mass of people and chaos looming up. Van Dijk states that a democracy can turn to ochlocracy. In this case the opposite applies, that the masses of the people are in charge of the drivers. Polls then control politicians and then promise everything without making it come true. (Reformatorisch Dagblad, 10 February 2016).
The gap between the church and society
A study of the church in the Netherlands shows that there is a huge gap between the church and society (Trouw, 1998). This situation will certainly not be better in 2019. That there is a gap between the church and society is not a new observation (Simon, J. Dingemanse In Beweging, 2010). The Netherlands is no longer a Christian country. The PKN loses 70,000 members each year (Dr. Willem Dekker, 4 February 2015). Besides the disinterest, there are also people who can no longer believe because of the disappointment in Christianity. The promised salvation, peace and future has not been realized. This category is no longer confident (Dr. Wim Dekker in Christelijk Weekblad, 5 February 2015). Taking into account God, His commandments and what is in the Bible continues to weaken in our society (Metahistorie.com, 2015). The view of God is increasingly obscured by a dark power.
Conclusion
The foregoing is about the gap between the elite and the people and disruptive and unpredictable changes. On the one hand, there is a risk that if the elite does not take sufficient account of the problems of their subjects, resistance will arise. Examples have been mentioned by Prof. Dr. Harrie Beunders. Disruptive changes in culture technology, nature, uncontrolled demographic movements threaten the certainties of the existing population. Our society already looks different now than a few years ago. Bible explainers claim that these changes resemble what is written in the Bible Book of Revelation (broadcasts on Family 7, 2016). As for the church, it will have to come with a message that touches the heart and not politically correct vague sermons. The following applies to all of us: we believe and take into account what the Bible says or we do exactly the opposite. We have to make these decisions ourselves. The Bible is a book from a higher dimension and difficult for us humans to grasp. We can also give preference to human visions, which change sooner or later. See the discovery of gravitational waves that affect time, which was unimaginable 200 years ago.