populism | The Broomstick Brief

The myth of too many elites

In certain corners of politics and punditry, a curious thesis has been gaining ground: that our societies are teetering on the brink because of an “oversupply of elite.” Too many graduates, too many experts, too many laptop-class professionals sipping ethically sourced coffee while redesigning the world from their glas…

A wide-angle illustration of a traditional set of justice scales, cracked and tilting, set in front of a Dutch government building in The Hague under a stormy sky. Tulips are wilting and a torn Dutch flag flaps in the wind.

How democracy, populism, and bureaucracy are unravelling the Dutch legal tradition

In De onvoltooide rechtsstaat (The Unfinished Rule of Law), published on 4 June 2025 to mark his retirement from the Dutch Supreme Court, Ybo Buruma offers a sweeping yet pointed dissection of the Netherlands’ legal journey, and its current disintegration. Part historical reflection, part polemic, the book contends tha…