According to the latest issue of the Economist, Belgium has served it’s purpose. Judging from how the Brussels government reacted to anti-Islamization protesters earlier this week, I’m inclined to agree.
The breakup of Belgium is being discussed right now because Belgium is in its third month without a government. Time Magazine explains why this has happened:
Yves Leterme, the Flemish Christian Democrat whose party did best in the June 10 parliamentary elections, was expected to build a coalition with the francophone Christian Democrats, as well as the two liberal parties. But that planned ‘Orange-Blue’ coalition collapsed in acrimony after Leterme insisted on a government platform that would wrest more power from the already weak central government and hand it over the increasingly powerful regions. They already control transport, housing, agriculture and education, but Leterme — playing to his base among prosperous Flemings who resent paying taxes to subsidize lagging Wallonia — sought to add taxation, social security, economic policy, immigration and nationality. The Francophones balked, Leterme stepped back from efforts to form government, and Belgian politics are in a curious state of suspension as the country struggles to find an alternative government coalition.
Money from Dutch-speaking Flanders is being sent in increasing amounts to French-speaking Wallonia and the Dutch want to change this. Why? Because the politics of ‘need’ don’t work, need begets need. This from a Flemish paper:
The reality is that the French-speaking people take whatever they can and make more and more demands. It will never be enough. One must be not hostile, but also not naive. [source]
The Flemish aren’t alone in this situation – many regions around the world are being milked by their less prosperous cousins. But the naivete that sustains this exploitation is apparently becoming harder to maintain.
From Slovenia’s “Bookkeepers” revolution in 1991 to the victories of Italy’s Northern League, and Catalonia’s “Sovereignty” , the Atlases of the world are shrugging off their dependents. Are there any lessons for Canada in this? Only a Liberal could deny that there are – but then again, only a Liberal needs to learn these lessons.
