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> Student loans are an American thing. Unfortunately, they're also becoming an "American export". E.g. Netherlands granted a study grant to all students up unt

by m000 4y ago

> Student loans are an American thing. Unfortunately, they're also becoming an "American export". E.g. Netherlands granted a study grant to all students up until 2015, when it was converted to a student loan [1]. The required amount is still lower and the terms are better than US, but the ball has started rolling. We are now waiting for the next wave of neoliberal policies to see average student debt surging. [1] https://www.wittenborg.eu/new-dutch-student-loans-system-start-2015.htm https://www.wittenborg.eu/new-dutch-student-loans-system-sta...

nebula8804 4y ago
Why would you guys even allow this poison to infect your culture? We never had these benefits in the US so there was nothing to take away and many Americans are too poor to ever travel overseas and don't realize how things are done elsewhere. In fact even conservatives fight to maintain what we do have (eg. Social Security, Medicare) But Europe? You guys already have the benefits, aren't you going to get pissed off if they get taken away?
- m000 4y ago
  The starting points between Europe and USA may be different, but the methodology to contain reactions is the same: The boiling frog method [1], and playing the long game. If the introduced change is subtle enough, only people directly affected will protest. In this case, students did protest for years, and they still do. But because the change is so subtle, it is easy to convincingly brand anyone protesting as unreasonable/reactionary/self-entitled/spoiled. E.g. "Do you complain about paying 20EUR/month for your DUO [2] loan, all while you can even skip payments with no repercussions when unemployed? An entitled lazy brat you are!". Then, several years later, you can stage an audit on DUO to find out that it's "bleeding money". Now you have a free rein to shut it down and let the private sector to hand the student loans. All to save taxpayers' money, of course! [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boiling_frog https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boiling_frog [2] https://duo.nl/particulier/international-visitor/ https://duo.nl/particulier/international-visitor/

by m000 4y ago

nebula8804 4y ago

Why would you guys even allow this poison to infect your culture? We never had these benefits in the US so there was nothing to take away and many Americans are too poor to ever travel overseas and don't realize how things are done elsewhere. In fact even conservatives fight to maintain what we do have (eg. Social Security, Medicare) But Europe? You guys already have the benefits, aren't you going to get pissed off if they get taken away?

m000 4y ago
The starting points between Europe and USA may be different, but the methodology to contain reactions is the same: The boiling frog method [1], and playing the long game. If the introduced change is subtle enough, only people directly affected will protest. In this case, students did protest for years, and they still do. But because the change is so subtle, it is easy to convincingly brand anyone protesting as unreasonable/reactionary/self-entitled/spoiled. E.g. "Do you complain about paying 20EUR/month for your DUO [2] loan, all while you can even skip payments with no repercussions when unemployed? An entitled lazy brat you are!". Then, several years later, you can stage an audit on DUO to find out that it's "bleeding money". Now you have a free rein to shut it down and let the private sector to hand the student loans. All to save taxpayers' money, of course! [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boiling_frog https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boiling_frog [2] https://duo.nl/particulier/international-visitor/ https://duo.nl/particulier/international-visitor/