Belgium is bi-cultural and multinational, characterized by linguistic conflict between the Flemings and the Walloons. The consociational model of citizenship distributes executive power and economic resources in proportion to the size of the different linguistic communities. Belgium is a federal state with each state formally recognising one of the languages. This is a separatist model keep each linguistic community separate from the other but also allows no space for other differences to be recognised institutionally or culturally. Following Belgium's colonial period, former Belgian subjects (form the Congo, Rwanda etc) were refused citizenship and ethnic diversity has not gained a central place within citizenship practices such as in the UK. With respect to gender, the legal framework stipulates that electoral lists may contain a maximum of two-thirds candidates of the same sex., thus opting for legally imposed gender quotas (in contrast to party based quotas or parity).
This is a separatist model keep each linguistic community separate from the other but also allows no space for other differences to be recognised institutionally or culturally. Following Belgium's colonial period, former Belgian subjects (form the Congo, Rwanda etc) were refused citizenship and ethnic diversity has not gained a central place within citizenship practices such as in the UK.
With respect to gender, the legal framework stipulates that electoral lists may contain a maximum of two-thirds candidates of the same sex., thus opting for legally imposed gender quotas (in contrast to party based quotas or parity).
I find this interesting because in Wales the concept of keeping Welsh and English completely separate would be utterly unnacceptable - illustrating the very different historical and cultural contexts that would allow one thing to work well in one country and completely fail in another. Ad astra per aspera
in Wales the concept of keeping Welsh and English completely separate
What if we say Welsh is spoken in Wales, and English in England (and also in Wales)?
Wales may have attained a degree of autonomy in recent times, but for centuries England-and-Wales were one country.
It's not an exact fit with the Belgian situation, but still, Wallonia-and-Flanders are one country. The historical divide is (somewhat) like the English and Welsh: the Flemish are Germanic, the Walloons of Celtic (Gaulish) origin (Walloon, Welsh, and Gaul have the same etymological root). The two groups occupy clearly different zones (with the exception of Brussels). The Flemish speak Dutch, the Walloons French. French is the overarching language (administratively, politically, and in class terms), which produces increasing linguistic friction. But it's history and geography that produce the separation between the groups, rather than a model of citizenship that "keeps" them separate, imho.
Whether it's sustainable in the long term (break-up into two countries), is another question, that applies also to the UK to a fair extent.
But it's history and geography that produce the separation between the groups, rather than a model of citizenship that "keeps" them separate, imho.
Not arguing with that, the current model they have is a result of the historical context of the country and ditto for Britain and France etc. Any attempt to debate things like citizenship and equality and basic rights is complicated by the fact that different models have developed across Europe and there are different national ways of thinking even in countries that on the surface are many things in common.
I have no idea if the way the separatist model is described in the textbook is an accurate reflection or if it is over-simplified for the aim of demonstrating a model. As you point out there are similarities with Wales/England yet here, the linguistic aspect is considered as our 7th equality strand, so language as an equality issue has not eclipsed other equality issues as the textbook suggests has happened in Belgium. Ad astra per aspera
I have to admit I don't quite understand how this all works in practice, not being Dutch or Belgian, and that Nomad has said pillarization is archaic in the Netherlands and Elco B has stressed belgian unity at every turn.
Maybe this diary would be an excuse for Dutch or Belgian ETers to clarify this. Most economists teach a theoretical framework that has been shown to be fundamentally useless. -- James K. Galbraith
