Jelle Zijlstra, a Central Banker's View

On 1 May 1967 Dr. J elle Zijlstra was appointed President of De Nederlandsche Bank, after an already eventful career. Following a brief spell as Professor of Economics at the Free University of Amsterdam, he began a lengthy period of ministerial service in 1952. During his cabinet years, he devised a concept which became known in the Netherlands as the' Zijl stra norm', and which was aImed at keeping the Government's financial deficit in check. He concluded his active political career .as prime minister in 1966-1967. Dr. Zijlstra's career as a politician and central banker covered a period of nearly 30 years during which the economic scene in the N ether lands and in the world underwent wide cyclical ups and downs and impor tant changes of a more long-lasting nature. Successful economic recovery after the Second World War was followed by a period of rapid and rela tively stable economic growth. However, as early as the 1960s the condi tions for the maintenance of equilibrated expansion became less secure. These conditions were further impaired in the 1970s partly as a result of important shocks, such as the oil crises.