Comments on: Belgium: A role model for the rest of Europe? http://blogs.reuters.com/great-debate-uk/2011/11/24/belgium-a-role-model-for-the-rest-of-europe/ Thu, 23 May 2013 11:09:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: markhillary http://blogs.reuters.com/great-debate-uk/2011/11/24/belgium-a-role-model-for-the-rest-of-europe/comment-page-1/#comment-18695 markhillary Tue, 06 Dec 2011 16:54:21 +0000 http://blogs.reuters.com/great-debate-uk/?p=10549#comment-18695 Gordon, the idea of Belgium being a role model was ironic. I would have thought that anyone could have seen this, but clearly not. With regards your comments on the history of the nation, this background was not essential - anyone can read about the history of Belgium, the central point was the failure to form a government, not the cultural history of the nation state itself... Gordon, the idea of Belgium being a role model was ironic. I would have thought that anyone could have seen this, but clearly not. With regards your comments on the history of the nation, this background was not essential – anyone can read about the history of Belgium, the central point was the failure to form a government, not the cultural history of the nation state itself…

]]> By: Gordon2352 http://blogs.reuters.com/great-debate-uk/2011/11/24/belgium-a-role-model-for-the-rest-of-europe/comment-page-1/#comment-18622 Gordon2352 Mon, 28 Nov 2011 23:10:18 +0000 http://blogs.reuters.com/great-debate-uk/?p=10549#comment-18622 "Without digging too deep into the background of the Belgian problem – and speculation over partition" means you don't have the foggiest notion about the history and problems of Belgium at all, and are therefore not qualified to talk about them in any way. I am a descendent of "Belgian" immigrants who left "Wallonia" -- you should at least mention that "Belgium" doesn't really exist as a country, but as two completely separate cultures forced together by circumstance (the other is Flanders) -- in 1850 to come to the US, and AM familiar with the problems of Belgium. In short, the basic reason they don't have a government is they have quit speaking to each other because they have NOTHING in common. The longer reason is much more complex, but to state that "Belgium" is really a role model for the rest of Europe is incredibly stupid beyond belief. The "Belgians" are a role model of a society that has broken down entirely with no hope of reconciliation. You need to get out more (preferably to a library) and research your stories better -- and for sure, don't give up your day job, whatever that might be. “Without digging too deep into the background of the Belgian problem – and speculation over partition” means you don’t have the foggiest notion about the history and problems of Belgium at all, and are therefore not qualified to talk about them in any way.

I am a descendent of “Belgian” immigrants who left “Wallonia” — you should at least mention that “Belgium” doesn’t really exist as a country, but as two completely separate cultures forced together by circumstance (the other is Flanders) — in 1850 to come to the US, and AM familiar with the problems of Belgium.

In short, the basic reason they don’t have a government is they have quit speaking to each other because they have NOTHING in common.

The longer reason is much more complex, but to state that “Belgium” is really a role model for the rest of Europe is incredibly stupid beyond belief. The “Belgians” are a role model of a society that has broken down entirely with no hope of reconciliation.

You need to get out more (preferably to a library) and research your stories better — and for sure, don’t give up your day job, whatever that might be.

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