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The Balkanization of...Belgium?


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rieraciSep 9, 2007 7:59am
Belgium was cobbled together in 1830, and like many nations, had no true national identity, but was a mix of French, Dutch, and German cultures. The federal government was put together in a manner that minority rights was its raison d 'etre. As a result, the government was complex, cumbersome, and very slow to respond to issues. It spent most of its time putting out fires rather than actually governing a nation. The monarchy was the only respected national institution. It may have finally hit the fan:

news.independent.co.uk/europe/article2950330.ece [news.independent.co.uk/europe/article2950330.ece]
timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article2409877.ece [timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article2409877.ece]
strangemaps.wordpress.com/2006/10/12/14-what-will-happen-after-belgium/ [strangemaps.wordpress.com/2006/10/12/14-what-will-happen-after-belgium/]

barrelheadSep 16, 2007 10:50am
I visited Belgium for several weeks years and years ago. I remember how odd the dual nature of the culture and language seemed at the time.


The Balkanization of...Belgium?

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