Netherlands

<h3>Customs and etiquette</h3>
<p data-rte-fromparser="true">The Dutch have a <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22code%20of%20etiquette%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22etiquette%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5Betiquette%7Ccode%20of%20etiquette%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-9769952215e2d76553fda4" class="new" title="Etiquette (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvRXRpcXVldHRlP2FjdGlvbj1lZGl0JnJlZGxpbms9MQ==">code of etiquette</a> which governs social behaviour and is considered important. Because of the international position of the Netherlands, many books have been written on the subject. Some customs may not be true in all regions and they are never absolute. In addition to those specific to the Dutch, many general points of <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22European%20etiquette%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22etiquette%20in%20Europe%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5Betiquette%20in%20Europe%7CEuropean%20etiquette%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-9769952215e2d76553fda4" class="new" title="Etiquette in Europe (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvRXRpcXVldHRlX2luX0V1cm9wZT9hY3Rpb249ZWRpdCZyZWRsaW5rPTE=">European etiquette</a> apply to the Dutch as well. Dutch society is <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22egalitarian%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Egalitarianism%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BEgalitarianism%7Cegalitarian%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-9769952215e2d76553fda4" class="new" title="Egalitarianism (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvRWdhbGl0YXJpYW5pc20/YWN0aW9uPWVkaXQmcmVkbGluaz0x">egalitarian</a>, individualistic and modern. The people tend to view themselves as modest, independent and self-reliant. They value ability over dependency. The Dutch have an aversion to the non-essential. Ostentatious behaviour is to be avoided. Accumulating money is fine, but public spending of large amounts of money is considered something of a <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22vice%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22vice%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5Bvice%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-9769952215e2d76553fda4" class="new" title="Vice (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvVmljZT9hY3Rpb249ZWRpdCZyZWRsaW5rPTE=">vice</a> and associated with being a show-off. A high lifestyle is considered wasteful and suspect with most people. The Dutch are proud of their <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22cultural%20heritage%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22cultural%20heritage%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5Bcultural%20heritage%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-9769952215e2d76553fda4" class="new" title="Cultural heritage (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvQ3VsdHVyYWxfaGVyaXRhZ2U/YWN0aW9uPWVkaXQmcmVkbGluaz0x">cultural heritage</a>, rich history in art and involvement in <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22international%20affairs%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22international%20relations%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5Binternational%20relations%7Cinternational%20affairs%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-9769952215e2d76553fda4" class="new" title="International relations (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvSW50ZXJuYXRpb25hbF9yZWxhdGlvbnM/YWN0aW9uPWVkaXQmcmVkbGluaz0x">international affairs</a>.
<!-- RTE::{"spaces":0,"type":"LINE_BREAK"} -->Dutch manners are blunt with a no-nonsense attitude; informality combined with adherence to basic behaviour. This might be perceived as impersonal and patronising by other cultures, but is the norm in Dutch culture.  According to a humorous source on Dutch culture, <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22The%20Undutchables%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22The%20UnDutchables%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BThe%20UnDutchables%7CThe%20Undutchables%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-9769952215e2d76553fda4" class="new" title="The UnDutchables (page does not exist)" rel="nofollow" data-uncrawlable-url="L3dpa2kvVGhlX1VuRHV0Y2hhYmxlcz9hY3Rpb249ZWRpdCZyZWRsaW5rPTE=">The Undutchables</a>: <i>Their directness gives many the impression that they are rude and crude—attributes they prefer to call ‘openness’</i>.<span data-rte-instance="40-9769952215e2d76553fda4" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cref%20name%3D%5C%22Colin%20White%201995%5C%22%3EColin%20White%20%26%20Laurie%20Boucke%20%281995%29.%20The%20UnDutchables%3A%20An%20observation%20of%20the%20Netherlands%2C%20its%20culture%20and%20its%20inhabitants%20%283rd%20Ed.%29.%20White-Boucke%20Publishing.%3C%5C%2Fref%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22ref%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false"><sup data-rte-washtml="1" id="cite_ref-Colin_White_1995_0-0" class="reference" data-rte-attribs=" id=cite_ref-Colin_White_1995_0-0 class=reference"><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-9769952215e2d76553fda4%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255B%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ5653a96427dbac31-nowiki-00000001-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E1%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-9769952215e2d76553fda4%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255D%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ5653a96427dbac31-nowiki-00000002-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22%23cite_note-Colin_White_1995-0%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5B%23cite_note-Colin_White_1995-0%7C%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%2210%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E1%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%2211%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-9769952215e2d76553fda4" href="#cite_note-Colin_White_1995-0"><span data-rte-instance="40-9769952215e2d76553fda4" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">[&#x200b;</span>1<span data-rte-instance="40-9769952215e2d76553fda4" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">]&#x200b;</span></a></sup>&#x200b;</span> A well known more serious source on Dutch etiquette is "Dealing with the Dutch" from Jacob Vossestein: <i>Dutch egalitarianism is the idea that people are equal, especially from a moral point of view, and accordingly, causes the somewhat ambiguous stance the Dutch have towards hierarchy and status.</i><span data-rte-instance="40-9769952215e2d76553fda4" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cref%3EJ.%20Vossenstein%2C%20Dealing%20with%20the%20Dutch%2C%209789460220791%3C%5C%2Fref%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22ref%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false"><sup data-rte-washtml="1" id="cite_ref-1" class="reference" data-rte-attribs=" id=cite_ref-1 class=reference"><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-9769952215e2d76553fda4%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255B%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ5653a96427dbac31-nowiki-00000004-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E2%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-9769952215e2d76553fda4%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255D%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ5653a96427dbac31-nowiki-00000005-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22%23cite_note-1%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5B%23cite_note-1%7C%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%2216%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E2%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%2217%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-9769952215e2d76553fda4" href="#cite_note-1"><span data-rte-instance="40-9769952215e2d76553fda4" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">[&#x200b;</span>2<span data-rte-instance="40-9769952215e2d76553fda4" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">]&#x200b;</span></a></sup>&#x200b;</span> As always, manners differ between groups. Asking about basic rules will not be considered impolite. <i>What may strike you as being blatantly blunt topics and comments are no more embarrassing or unusual to the Dutch than discussing the weather</i>.<span data-rte-instance="40-9769952215e2d76553fda4" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cref%20name%3D%5C%22Colin%20White%201995%5C%22%5C%2F%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22ref%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false"><sup data-rte-washtml="1" id="cite_ref-Colin_White_1995_0-1" class="reference" data-rte-attribs=" id=cite_ref-Colin_White_1995_0-1 class=reference"><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-9769952215e2d76553fda4%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255B%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ5653a96427dbac31-nowiki-00000007-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E1%3Cspan%20data-rte-instance%3D%5C%2240-9769952215e2d76553fda4%5C%22%20data-rte-meta%3D%5C%22%257B%2522type%2522%253A%2522ext%2522%252C%2522wikitext%2522%253A%2522%253Cnowiki%253E%255D%253C%255C%252Fnowiki%253E%2522%252C%2522lineStart%2522%253A%2522%2522%252C%2522placeholder%2522%253A1%252C%2522extName%2522%253A%2522nowiki%2522%257D%5C%22%20class%3D%5C%22placeholder%20placeholder-ext%5C%22%20contenteditable%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%7F%27%5C%22%60UNIQ5653a96427dbac31-nowiki-00000008-QINU%60%5C%22%27%7F%26%23x0200B%3B%3C%5C%2Fspan%3E%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22%23cite_note-Colin_White_1995-0%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5B%23cite_note-Colin_White_1995-0%7C%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%2222%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E1%3Cext%20_rte_wikitextidx%3D%5C%2223%5C%22%3E%3Cname%3Enowiki%3C%5C%2Fname%3E%3Cattr%3E%3C%5C%2Fattr%3E%3Cinner%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Finner%3E%3Cclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%3C%5C%2Fclose%3E%3C%5C%2Fext%3E%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="40-9769952215e2d76553fda4" href="#cite_note-Colin_White_1995-0"><span data-rte-instance="40-9769952215e2d76553fda4" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5B%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">[&#x200b;</span>1<span data-rte-instance="40-9769952215e2d76553fda4" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%5D%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">]&#x200b;</span></a></sup>&#x200b;</span>
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