In a sense the Netherlands is at the front of evolutionary change

Marko Says: May 12th, 2007 at 5:58 am Being a Dutchman I live in a country which has legalised euthanasia since April 2001. The main reason behind this legislation was the fact that euthanasia already happened and it needed regulation. Everywhere, not only in the Netherlands, doctors are helping people to die!

But of course doctors cannot be open about this, because they could be prosecuted for murder. The Dutch government wanted to create clarity in that misty area where it usually stays unclear for others what really happened and if the patient died naturally or by the hands of the doctor. In order for the doctor to be safe and able to communicate clearly about what happened, and also for patients to be able to organise their deaths in a self respectful way instead of a sneaky one, legislation was created...

At the moment we have a Christian dominated government which was in opposition when the law was implemented in 2001. They are against euthanasia but so far have not tried to change the law. But liberal secular Holland is holding its breath to see what will happen the coming years.

It seems to me that in a sense the Netherlands is at the front of evolutionary change in social taboos, like also gay marriage and legally allowed soft drugs. This does not mean however that the structures that are laid down in Holland are the best next step, but I see it more as a testing ground for evolutionary change of which other countries can benefit.

Marko Says: May 12th, 2007 at 6:51 am Alan says: “In this way death, the second last taboo (the last taboo is animal sentient rights) really throws these things into sharp contrast.”

Also this social taboo is being confronted in the Netherlands. In the last parliamentary election ‘de Partij voor de Dieren’ (the party for Animals) aquiered two seats in parliament being the first political party in the world that is able to get into parliament on a political program for animal rights.