Arnold Heertje (19 February 1934 – 4 April 2020) was a Dutch economist and professor at the University of Amsterdam, writer and columnist.

He later remarked, that he "was impressed by the fact that all of the hiding places that existed were with families that were extremely poor.

[1][5] Heertje belonged to the group of economists, who defend the thesis that the field of the Economics is much more than just what can be expressed in money or what can be measured.

The (almost) constant focus on consumerism and financial growth will make the emphasis on other human needs increasingly difficult.

Just as much of the field of Economics, according to Heertje, are those items difficult or impossible to express in monetary values such as nature, quality of life and sense of well-being.

With the exception of a momentary switch to Democratic Socialists '70 (DS'70) in the 1970s, Heertje has always been a member of the Dutch Labour Party.

Heertje once stated "The image of brawler is part of my biography, I rise when I feel treated unfairly.

Heertje also turned against the construction of the new North/South line of the Amsterdam subway system, because he felt that the city did not have sufficient expertise.

At the founding of the association "Beter Onderwijs Nederland" (Better Education Netherlands) in 2006 Heertje joined the committees of recommendation.

This association aims to "stimulate the potential of pupils and students by supporting thorough professional and general education as well as possible".

He owned three thousand special books, including the first, sewn print of Das Kapital by Karl Marx, and An Essay on the Principle of Population by Thomas Malthus from 1798.

According to Heertje, this 7-year-old boy from Amsterdam was "kidnapped" from school by the Youth Care Agency and brought to a secret place.

The lawyer for the Youth Care Agency stated that Heertje had not done proper research into the case and that his articles amounted to public pillorying.