The Dutch labour party has proposed that educated women, i.e. ones with college degrees, should be fined if they decide to stay at home instead of joining the workforce !

Excerpts...

MP Sharon Dijksma, deputy chairperson of the PvdA's parliamentary party, believes the punitive measure is needed to stimulate more women to join the workforce. She outlined her ideas in 'Forum', a magazine published by employers' group VNO-NCW.

"A highly-educated woman who chooses to stay at home and not to work - that is destruction of capital," Dijksma said. "If you receive the benefit of an expensive education at the cost of society, you should not be allowed to throw away that knowledge unpunished."

The MP said a fine for non-working mothers is a logical consequence of the PvdA's intention to introduce a 'feudal system', under which graduates repay money dependant on their earnings. "If someone chooses not to work, then a substantial repayment is in order," Dijksma said.

Hmmm...don't the Dutch make claims about having freedom of expression and choice, and all that supposed nonsense ?

As Chequer-Board asks...

Stay-at-home mothers could agree to make use of their degrees by home-schooling their children. Think that would fly in the Dutch parliament?

Well, if women won't make much of the opportunities provided to make them "equal" in society, then perhaps we should force them, eh ?

This was also an interesting statement in that article...

A high proportion of Dutch women traditionally favour working only part-time or staying at home to care for their families.

Original link via Pajamas Media.

Cross posted on Context Switch.