This chapter is the first in a larger book project on the cultivation of citizenship in the Netherlands, spanning from World War II to the present—not in a strictly legal sense, but in a broader societal, cultural, political, and institutional context. Citizenship is understood as upholding the values of the post-war democratic rechtsstaat (best translated as 'liberal democracy'). These values are less embedded in societal DNA than often assumed; they are not inherently a ‘way of life’.

The chapter examines the societal and historical developments that explain this, aiming to shift perspectives on the ‘societal ethos’ and its deeper historical roots. It argues that a thorough self-analysis is essential to improving citizenship. Key themes include the societal handling and memory of World War II, the legacy of pillarisation, neoliberalism and socio-economic inequality, deficiencies in education, End of History thinking, limited moral leadership, and the implications of the digital age.