Inspired by the movie Admiral (Michiel de Ruyter) I have made this videoclip, highlighting that even though The Netherlands is a small country by most definitions, throughout history it has competed with the big boys, oftentimes quite successfully.
A known saying is that "God built the world, but the Dutch built The Netherlands". That saying captures the essence of Dutch resilience and engineering brilliance. During "Rampjaar 1672", a.k.a. "the "Disaster year of 1672", that ingenuity literally saved the country.
In 1672 the Dutch Republic got tri-sandwiched simultaneously by England, France, and the bishops of Münster and Cologne (parts of today's Germany). The Dutch Republic was caught off guard. Much of the country was quickly overrun, but the Dutch managed to hold off the invaders thanks to strategic flooding of the land (the Dutch Water Line), the leadership of Admiral Michiel de Ruyter at sea, and a shift in political power toward William III of Orange, who would later become King of England.
The phrase “VOC mentality”, originally referencing the Dutch East India Company (Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie), symbolizes the boldness, ambition, and global vision of a small nation punching far above its weight. Despite being a small country, the Dutch didn't just endure: they prevailed. And from those trials, they reemerged to remain a global maritime and economic power, driven by the same enterprising spirit that made the VOC the first multinational corporation in history.
In the 21st century, the Netherlands faces a different kind of Rampjaar 1672, not with invading armies, but with the complex pressures of globalization, foreign competition, and ideological movements like the Great Reset, often perceived as distant forces shaping local lives without consent.
Much like in 1672, the country finds itself navigating existential questions: Who controls the land? Who defines the future? And how does a small, proud nation preserve its identity and prosperity amid global turbulence? But if history is any guide, the Dutch response won’t be passive.
The same VOC mentality: enterprising, pragmatic, deeply connected to trade but fiercely protective of autonomy, still pulses through the country. And just as they once flooded their fields to stop invaders, modern Dutch citizens and innovators are pushing back with what they know best.
In short: while the challenges may be modern, the response remains quintessentially Dutch, clever, resilient, and built on the quiet confidence that a small nation can again shape the world, rather than be shaped by it.
