Long-running austerity policy to hollow out Dutch civil foundations In the Netherlands, every economic downturn is followed by associated austerity methods. The Dutch “cheese planing method” is a common tactic used to maintain the integrity of the state apparatus as a whole, by reducing funding in all sectors. But a decade of economic stagnation has lead to its destructive effects similarly appearing in all sectors. Public transport strikes in the largest cities, due to unprecedented pressure on the shrinking number of railway attendants.