Averting the Fallouts of the Great Recession in Belgium and the Netherlands: a Research Note

Abstract

Belgium and the Netherlands recovered fast from the historic economic crisis of 2008. It is imperative for governments to garner some lessons from the experiences over the Great Recession. For this reason, the purpose of this article is to assess how Belgium and the Netherlands responded to the Great Recession. This case study reveals that swift crisis management and providing a social safety net cushioned citizens against the painful consequences from the Great Recession. Moreover, these enabled governments to maintain their citizen trust in government.