How Many Civil Servants Are There, Really?
December 26, 2024
When I wrote about the number of civil servants, the quantitative feedback I received was pretty standard. However, the qualitative responses sparked enough thought to warrant a follow-up. Everyone seems to agree on three things:
1. It’s unclear how many civil servants there actually are.
2. The definition of a civil servant is ambiguous.
3. The total number should be published periodically.
Jan Sierhuis offered some eye-opening insights:
1. The total number of civil servants, including those in education, healthcare, and justice, is around 4,000.
2. As a percentage of the workforce: less than 10%.
3. As a percentage of the budget: over 40%.
And therein lies the problem. The economy isn’t generating enough tax revenue to sustain the machinery needed to keep the system running. The result? Constant cutbacks, loans, capacity issues, quality problems, social challenges, backlogs—you name it. The system isn’t equipped to pull itself out of the spiral.
While the government keeps the machine running, it fails to provide the push needed for growth and improvement. And let’s face it, that push must come from us. No one wants a failed state like Venezuela, but we’re not striving to be the Netherlands. We could be either. We’re stuck somewhere in between.
Anthony Guillermo took it a step further, pointing out that civil servants continue to be pampered despite this already heavy burden. Moreover, he argued that early retirement schemes (VVU) haven’t reduced the total number of civil servants.
But this debate isn’t just about quantity. It’s about our civil service's quality, knowledge, and experience. This is where we see an even deeper issue: the civil service machine demands constant attention and care, but it seems that neither politicians nor civil servants fully grasp its challenges.
If we want a system that works—for everyone—we need to start addressing these problems head-on. The status quo is no longer good enough.
Miguel Goede
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