Ruimdenkende

Ruimdenkende is a Dutch adjective meaning broad-minded or tolerant of different opinions and lifestyles. The term describes people who are willing to consider alternative viewpoints, engage in dialogue across ideological lines, and support pluralism in society. The noun form is often used as een ruimdenkende persoon or ruimdenkende mensen to refer to individuals characterized by such attitudes.

Historically, ruimdenkende attitudes are associated with postwar liberal and social-democratic debates in the Netherlands and other Dutch-speaking regions, where openness to migration, secularism, and civil rights was discussed. In contemporary discourse, ruimdenkend behavior is invoked in debates on multiculturalism, religious diversity, gender equality, LGBTQ+ rights, euthanasia, and education, as a marker of willingness to compromise and seek consensus rather than dogmatic adherence.

Critics sometimes argue that excessive openness can lead to moral relativism or a lack of principled stance, while proponents counter that open-mindedness enables better problem solving and social cohesion in pluralistic societies. The term is related to open-mindedness, tolerance, pluralism, and liberalism, and is the opposite of being bekrompen (narrow-minded).

In practice, ruimdenkende individuals may advocate for evidence-based policy, freedom of expression, and inclusive institutions, while recognizing the legitimacy of diverse values and norms within a shared legal framework. Related concepts include open-mindedness, pluralism, tolerance, and liberalism.