Dam, Iris (2026) Trust in the Dutch Government: Experiences of Farmers in Friesland with the Nitrogen Policy. Bachelor thesis, Global Responsibility & Leadership (GRL).
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Abstract
The following pages will show how farmers in Friesland construct and experience trust in the Dutch government in relation to the Dutch nitrogen policy. The policy has led to societal and political debate in the Netherlands, particularly among farmers, who are directly affected by the measures. The nitrogen crisis is often discussed in environmental, legal, and economic terms; less attention has been paid to the relationship between farmers and governmental institutions. This study therefore focuses on the role of institutional trust and the factors that shape it in relation to the Dutch nitrogen policy. To examine how Frisian farmers construct and experience trust towards the Dutch government, the research uses theories of institutional trust, psychological distance, and procedural justice. These perspectives help explain how perceptions of governmental competence, fairness in decision-making, and differences in perspective between policymakers and farmers influence trust in governmental institutions. A qualitative research design was adopted, namely eight semi-structured interviews with farmers in Friesland. The interviews were analysed through thematic analysis in order to identify recurring themes and patterns in the participants’ experiences and perceptions. The findings show that distrust towards the Dutch government is shaped not only by policy outcomes, but also by perceptions of communication, transparency, and recognition. Participants frequently described the government as distant from agricultural realities and the farmers felt excluded from decision-making processes. In addition, many farmers experienced rising tensions between rural and urban communities. Emotional responses such as frustration, uncertainty, and disappointment emerged strongly throughout the interviews. This study concludes that trust in the context of the nitrogen crisis is strongly relational and closely connected to perceptions of fairness, communication, and recognition. The findings suggest that improving transparency, consistency, and meaningful engagement with affected communities could contribute to higher levels of institutional trust and policy acceptance.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Bachelor) |
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| Name supervisor: | Wiersema, C.D. |
| Date Deposited: | 10 Jun 2026 10:32 |
| Last Modified: | 10 Jun 2026 10:32 |
| URI: | https://campus-fryslan.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/795 |
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