When the Netherlands drained parts of the Zuiderzee to create the province of Flevoland (and added the Wieringermeer to North Holland), how did the government distribute the newly-reclaimed land? Were there enticements to move into the new province? Were there any major trends about who moved to Flevoland (outsized migration from any specific provinces, for instance)?
Any guidance from Netherlands experts on Dutch water works in general would also be appreciated.
I apologize if this has been already been asked. You all do a great job with moderation.
As a native of the northern part of Flevoland (Noordoostpolder) I can tell you something about how it worked for my area.
Flevoland was populated by having people apply to be settled there. Applying for settlement was popular because it gave people a possibility to become a farmer, an opportunity they did not always have at home. For example, a younger son of a farmer would have less chance of inheriting his father's farm, and often even less chance of buying one for himself. People could thus apply for settlement in the area, but they would have to pass a government inspection and interview in order to qualify. To give an example of how strict this was, someone I know had his family's application rejected because the farm they lived on wasn't tidy enough.
Many of the houses and farms were also assigned to those who worked in the area when it was drained and prepared for settlement. The best houses were built for higher level management, slightly nicer ones for engineers, and others for regular workers. When I was growing up most of the people in my street were former engineers who had worked to drain the area. Fun fact about this is that they basically had the chance to design their own houses, which is reflected by the enormous gardens their houses have.
In later phases there was less strict control of who could move to the area. At this point the agricultural sector also began attracting supporting industries and the population increased.