The best of both worlds

Original title: Het beste van twee werelden.

In the eyes of many rural dwellers, the Dutch countryside combines the best of both worlds. They enjoy the peace and quiet, space and landscape around them every day and are happy to live in an environment where people still have time and attention for each other. Living in a small, close-knit community can also be claustrophobic, but social norms are nothing like as rigid as in the past, and freedom of choice in social life is increasing. As a result, the countryside offers the community spirit of village living with the freedom of an urban society.

In compiling this report, the Netherlands Institute for Social Research/SCP interviewed people who live in the countryside. In 13 discussion groups in six different regions of the Netherlands, women, young people, older people, farmers, businessmen and women and new residents talk about their life in the country. What exactly do they mean by 'the countryside'? What are the positive and negative aspects of life in the country? The local communities of interviewees received special attention. Where do people who live in the countryside meet each other? With whom do people interact and what form does that interaction take? Which dividing lines cut through the rural community?
This is the second publication to be produced as part of the research programme The social state of the countryside; the first in the series was At home in the countryside (Thuis op het platteland).