Historical Basis of Group Conflict in Belgium

Belgian libraries are heavily influenced by the local governments who are based on the linguistic community of the region with the “resilience of group allegiance as a basis for education and organization still seems to be more often the norm than the exception, especially in education” (McAndrew, 2004, pg.70). The Dutch are the majority populace in the country but there is a long history of the French speaking populace to have control of the federal government. In the 19th century French was considered to be more prestigious and was spoken by politicians. The education policy in Wallonia reflected this division as many Flemish labors worked in the mining and steel industry in the area (McAndrew,2004, pg.71). The Borinage region, whose capital is Mons the town where I am currently living, is famous for being a mining region. The French spoken in the region is heavily influenced by the Flemish language as the lower class of both the French and Dutch worked in the mines. People living in and around the Borinage region are called the Borain. Linguistic affiliation has become a social war with the upper class speaking French and the lower class speaking Dutch or Borain French. There is a strong “atmosphere of distrust and the conflicting political intentions of the Flemish and French” (McAndrew, 2004, pg.72). To date there is a shift in power as the democratic system is shifting power from the minority of French to the Flemish (McAndrew, pg.70). At the moment the Belgium doesn’t have a government head as the different political groups are refusing to compromise as they are polarized groups and are evenly matched in power.
Brussels, the capital of the country, is bilingual which “refers to the fact that there is always a Dutch speaking and French speaking alternative in official contracts with the government and in education and other public services” (McAndrew, pg.10). This is different from Wallonia and Flanders, who are monolingual, and who do not have to offer both languages in public services. A large percentage of the Belgian population is bilingual, but only in Brussels is it required to have both languages present in public services, such as libraries. The public services provided by the regional government in Brussels are linked to either French or Flemish system French. The French are guaranteed equal political representation on national level, and the Flemish who are the minority in Brussels have same guarantee (McAndrew, 2005, pg.71). Brussels is also unique as 30% of the population have a non Belgian nationality and can go to private or European schools (McAndrew, pg.76).

Mc ANDREW, M. et Janssens, R. (2004). The role of schooling in the maintenance and transformation of ethnic boundaries between linguistic communities: Contrasting Quebec and Belgium. Canadian Ethnic Studies/Études ethniques au Canada, numéro spécial, G. Bourgeault, M.-H. Chastenay et M. Verlot (dir.), Relations ethniques et education dans les sociétés divisées : comparaison Belgique-Canada/Ethnic Relations snd Education in Divided Societies: Comparing Belgium and Canada, 36(3), 61-83.