Although the Netherlands is a compact country there have been regional economic differences. In 1950 the Dutch economy had generally recovered from World War II and overall was experiencing a very low (2.5%) unemployment rate. But in the northern provinces there were areas where the unemployment rate reached 15 percent. The concern in the government was that there might exist pockets of structural unemployment that required governmental action.
| Unemployment Among Males for Selected Areas, 1950 |
|
|---|---|
| Area | Unemployment Rate |
| Netherlands Overall | 2.5% |
| Southeast Drenthe | 15.5 |
| East Groningen | 6.6% |
| East Friesland | 3.9 |
| Southeast Noordbrabant | 8.3 |
| Northeast Noordbrabant | 4.5 |