Holland is a sort of manmade machine that must run as a unit or not at all.

army.mil/CMH-PG - Chapter XXVIII:

Piecemeal Liberation of the Netherlands Amid Serious Civilian Distress

Largely dependent on dikes and canals, Holland is a sort of manmade machine that must run as a unit or not at all. Much of the soil is poor and will produce little without fertilizer. The fertilizer cannot be brought in unless the water in the canals is at the right level. The water levels cannot be controlled unless the canal locks and sluices are in operation ; and these in turn are dependent on the mining and transport of coal and on the production and flow of electricity. A large population depends on the operation of this intricate network of machinery.