Amsterdam feels free

Radio Netherlands Worldwide, 1 May 2010 - 8:02am | By Martijn van Tol (RNW)

Amsterdam is the freest city in world according to researchers who compared the Dutch capital with eight other world cities. However, when it comes to squatting or wearing a burqa, Amsterdam is at the bottom of the pile.

500 years ago, Anabaptists tore off their clothes and threw them on a bonfire before wandering through the streets of Amsterdam "naked before God". Free at last! The authorities beheaded 19 of the Anabaptist nudists and stuck the heads on spikes around the city walls. Discouragement policy par excellence. Freedom shouldn't be taken too far, even in Amsterdam.

Which is the freest city in the world? Amsterdam's 4/5 May Committee, which organises the annual WW2 Remembrance Day and Liberation Day commemorations, commissioned researchers to find an answer to the question. Amsterdam ended in first place, beating other world cities including Las Vegas, Rio de Janeiro, Johannesburg, Bangkok, Berlin, London, San Francisco and Goa.

Apart from Amsterdam, Berlin and London also came in the top three freest cities in the world. Is freedom a typically Western concept? That’s not the point, says research leader Theo Deutinger: “We deliberately chose cities from each continent but we compared the cities primarily on the basis of “western” freedoms. A Buddhist monk from China would undoubtedly have produced a totally different index.”

Gunsmoke and teargas

The history of freedom in Amsterdam emerges from a cloud of gunsmoke and teargas. For centuries Amsterdammers have indulged in a series of popular revolts and strikes. The subjects enraging the masses have changed down the years. In the 1960s, proto-feminist “Dolle Minas” marched through the streets calling for the contraceptive pill to be included in the basic health insurance package. By 2001 Amsterdam was the location of the first same-sex marriage.

Rich and Free

It’s not that surprising that Amsterdam gets high scores. The city is rich, the quality of life is high, there is relatively little corruption and the atmosphere is relaxed and freedom-loving. But the same is true of San Francisco, Berlin or London. So what makes it different?

Perhaps it’s the typical Dutch tendency to say what you think. Some foreigners admire this trait, although the British are more likely to be appalled by blunt Dutch directness.

Freedom and laughter

The city’s prostitution and drug policies are unusual. Asking a police officer in the Red Light district for a light for your joint will elicit an outbreak of laughter from young tourists. Try something similar in Bangkok and you would be risking the death penalty.

In other words, Amsterdam scores higher than other cities in sensitive issues like euthanasia (outlawed in Berlin, Rio and Anglo-American cities, more flexible in Bangkok, Goa and Johannesburg), abortion, drugs, prostitution and same-sex marriage.

Townships

The researchers also uncovered some surprising facts. Amsterdam ended in last place when it comes to the freedom to squat. Last place? All the other cities are more tolerant about squatting, which in Rio or Johannesburg comes down to occupying a piece of land in the favelas or the townships.

And gay-friendly Amsterdam is outdone by San Francisco. In Bangkok and Goa too homosexuality is a right and in Johannesburg gays can marry. In Amsterdam, on the other hand, activists have recently been rudely awakened by an upsurge in anti-gay violence.

When it comes to the freedom to wear religious symbols, Amsterdam ended in next-to-last place just ahead of Berlin. In the German capital it’s illegal to wear religious symbols in all government buildings. It hasn’t come to that yet in Amsterdam, but just try applying for social security benefit while wearing a burqa.

Sin City

Apart from the freest city, it turns out Amsterdam is also a ‘sinful’ city. That’s because of the freedoms relating to prostitution, drugs and abortion. And you can drink alcohol from the age of 16. You could equally argue that certain freedoms are right out in the open in Amsterdam, while elsewhere the same things go on but underground.

And of course, one man’s freedom is another man’s excess.

Is objective research even possible? Theo Deutinger: “It’s not objective, this research is more of a provocation. People should really protest against such a pretentious project which just gives Amsterdam a chance to hang gold medals round its neck!”

Lazy freedom

All that freedom can turn into disinterest and apathy, Deutinger warns, “ If every Amsterdammer starts to believe that Amsterdam is the freest city in the world, the freedom fighter will get lazy.”

Related Article:

Freedom of speech prize for Dutch Islam critic