Samenvatting

In the mid-1970s, the Dutch government aimed to halt labor migration and limit immigration due to economic shifts, particularly the oil crisis, which marked an end to decades of growth. Yet migration surged, driven by family reunification of Turkish and Moroccan workers and migration from newly independent Suriname. The article examines how the state’s interest in migration evolved, spurred by economic concerns and a narrowing view of national identity. Despite anti-immigration sentiment, Europe’s declining native workforce heightens dependency on migrant labor. The future of social stability hinges on tackling labor exploitation and reframing immigration’s role in political discourse.