RZ-100-wt4-E-flipbook-240702 - Flipbook - Page 40
Diffidence
It is notable that the company is often represented on the Boards of various horticultural
organisations by Arie Vijn and that Rijk Zwaan
himself stays more in the background. After all, he
‘It was only with some di昀케dence
has always been more of a practical man, although
that I accepted the invitation to introduce
after the war he occasionally, albeit reluctantly,
makes his presence felt when it involves the pure
breeding profession.
the topic already known to you.
[...] I am not an economist,
nor am I a 昀椀nancial expert....’
In 1947, at the invitation of the IVT, he speaks at the
general breeding convention about the extent
to which breeding activities are economically
justified. The opening of his speech betrays his
hesitation:
Liberalisation of
global trade
In the 1950s and the decades after that, the
world economy grows rapidly. Population
A major factor in that growth of the global
growth, the availability of cheap energy
economy is the Bretton Woods system,
The demise of bilateral colonial trade
sources and advances in science
which makes it attractive for companies to
relations also contributes to this.
and technology all contribute to this.
locate beyond their own national borders.
Internationally, protection of the home
Never before in history has there been
The economic stability that prevails in
market decreases, allowing countries to
such explosive economic growth.
Europe between 1950 and 1973 encourages
focus on manufacturing products in which
free trade – that is, unfettered commercial
they have comparative (cost) advantages.
traffic between different countries.
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Rijk Zwaan | Moving forward together
