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Let peace no longer be a taboo, argues Sarah Dobbe, MP for the Socialist Party. 

Choosing Peace. 

In his first significant speech as the new NATO chief, Mark Rutte stated that much more money needs to be allocated to weapons and defense. Sarah Dobbe believes this is dangerous rhetoric. Mark Rutte's speech as NATO leader earlier this month was an extreme version of the rhetoric we have increasingly heard over the past year from military and political leaders. 

Before our eyes, a competition is currently unfolding over who can propose the highest military budget, potentially reaching up to 4 percent of the national product. This would amount to 41 billion euros per year. 

The essence of the argument: war is inevitable unless we transfer astronomical amounts of money to defense and the arms industry. The Dutch people are portrayed as spoiled, taking peace for granted while instead, they should be preparing mentally and physically for war. Emergency supply kits are flying off the shelves. 

From a few dozen to thousands of euros: prepping is also good business. The fact that a society's resilience is actually tied to quality education and healthcare, which are currently being heavily cut, is conveniently ignored. 

This war rhetoric primarily serves to prepare minds for bigger defense spending. Earlier this year, former Defense Minister Ollongren criticized pension funds. Because they did not invest in the arms industry, she claimed they were "part of the problem." Opinion maker Rutger Bregman even referred to investing in weapons as an example of a moral investment during the television program Buitenhof on February 25.

'Selfishness and Hedonism'

The character of the Dutch people is also under scrutiny. On December 17, Volkskrant columnist Marcia Luyten stated that the Dutch are too 'hedonistic' to prepare for war. She labeled the Dutch aversion to war as 'selfishness and hedonism,' attributing it to 'a lack of friction' in people's lives.

This is yet another accusation against people who are not waging war themselves but must endure its consequences. Rutte's speech this month fits into this narrative, but the certainty with which the NATO chief spoke as if we were already at war is new and should be a cause for concern for us all.

The calls from people like Ollongren and Bregman have already borne fruit. In April 2024, the research agency Berenschot published a report on the economic potential of the Dutch arms industry, commissioned by the Ministry of Economic Affairs. The report concluded that the revenue of the Dutch arms industry is rising rapidly, from 4.7 billion euros in 2021 to 7.7 billion in 2023—a three billion euro increase in just two years.

Moreover, only two billion of this increase can be attributed to additional spending by the Dutch government. The rest comes from increased arms exports, sometimes to countries with extremely dubious regimes, such as Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. In this way, the arms industry is significantly ramping up production and profits simply because it has now become possible.

‘Choosing Peace’

More weapons will only push us further into a dangerous arms race; it does not make us safer. 

Fortunately, there is increasingly more space for a counterargument to Rutte's war message. This newspaper also stated: 'Those who prepare for war must also have a plan for peace.' The Netherlands needs leaders who do not capitulate to fear but dare to choose a future of peace. 

A year ago, even merely mentioning the word 'peace' was arrogantly dismissed by parties in the House of Representatives. Now that Minister Brekelmans finally dares to talk about the importance of peace, negotiation, and diplomacy, there is hope that we can reverse the dangerous arms race. Let peace no longer be a taboo. 

This opinion piece appeared on December 27, 2024, in newspaper Trouw.