Difference in the Netherlands 2014-2020 | Fact sheet
In the ongoing study ‘Difference in the Netherlands’, SCP maps out how the Dutch population is divided. The latest edition shows that the structures of inequalities between six social groups have not changed significantly in the period 2014-2020. At that time, economic conditions were favorable, and many future social disparities were counteracted. includes it sees great contrasts between groups with many and few SCPs (work, income, education, social networks, cultural capital and health). As in other SCP research, we also find vulnerable citizens who are left behind, partly because disadvantages are piling up within several domains.
Differences between people can make life, but when they lead to interesting life opportunities or social disadvantages it is a different matter. Such differences are not intended for the people and groups that get the short straw: they can also have a negative impact on society as a whole. This occurs, for example, when people’s talents cannot mature, which ultimately results in the collective prosperity and well-being of the population. The research further shows that there is a link between structural inequality and social cohesion. The six groups differ in their view on Dutch society, their side view on Dutch society and their view on Dutch society.