In Belgium, the only people who're in favour of uniting the Dutch-speaking part (Flanders) with the Netherlands are the most marginal factions of the extreme right.
On the broader Flemish right, there is agreement that it should split from the French-speaking part of the country, because (a) Flanders is richer and (b) the left parties and trade-unions are more strong in Wallonia* and Brussels. They believe it would be more easy to destroy social security and the welfare state in a split country than in a united one. Large media-corporations are on their side, and press is filled with stories about "lazy Francophone socialists"in support of Flemish-nationalist parties (especially during strikes and elections).
For that reason, and not just some emotional attachment to a nation state, the left is in favour of unity among the working class. Divided the working class loses, united it wins.
- Opinion polls in Wallonia now show that it will become the region with the strongest left in the EU, with around 60% of the vote going to the social-democrats, the greens and the communists (PTB).
The Dutch were a mistake and only beaten by countries outside the Netherlands which speaks Dutch.
The Dutch have a lot to answer for when it comes to inventing capitalism tbh
In Belgium, the only people who’re in favour of uniting the Dutch-speaking part (Flanders) with the Netherlands are the most marginal factions of the extreme right.
Why is that, wouldn't people want to unite with others who share the same language and culture?
Do you want the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand to be the same country? Because they also have the same culture and language. The language part is something you can't deny, but if you deny the culture part, perhaps you can understand that people who haven't been part of the same country since 1830 don't have exactly the same culture.
Besides that, for the left it's mainly about defending the welfare state, social security and the unity of the working class. Francophone and Dutchophone (can you say that in English?) Belgians are organised in the same unions (5 million people are unionised on a population of 10 million people) and we understand that if we allow the bourgeoisie to split us up, we'll be in a worse of situation.
Reminds me of a Kamagurka cartoon from ages ago:
"Let's destroy the world!"
"Don't forget Belgium!"When you become a country because of the 19th century equivalent of a Rage Against the Machine Concert
and casually commit extreme genocide within like 60 years of independence. world record?
The USA was commiting genocide before, during and after it's revolution.
Which won't be solved by spliting up the country, but will be solved by reparations, which the left in both linguistic groups in Belgium support.
In Belgium (and the Netherlands) this position is only supported by the most marginal elements of the far-right.
On the broader Flemish right, there is agreement that it should split from the French-speaking part of the country, because (a) Flanders is richer and (b) the left parties and trade-unions are more strong in Wallonia* and Brussels. They believe it would be more easy to destroy social security and the welfare state in a split country than in a united one. Large media-corporations are on their side, and press is filled with stories about "lazy Francophone socialists"in support of Flemish-nationalist parties (especially during strikes and elections).
For that reason, and not just some emotional attachment to a nation state, the left is in favour of unity among the working class. Divided the working class loses, united it wins.
*Opinion polls in Wallonia now show that it will become the region with the strongest left in the EU, with around 60% of the vote going to the social-democrats, the greens and the communists (PTB).
ethnonationalism in my europe? no. pull out the defib and put tito and lenin in charge over it all, maybe they can make westerners less stupid
While you're at it, correct some other historical accidents like Südtirol, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Andorra, and Belgium.
Ditto for Republika Srpska, Moldova & Romania, southern Slovakia, Åland Islands, Gibraltar, and Northern Cyprus.
Yeah, Austria should annex Südtirol because they are just Austrians, and Germany should annex Austria because they are just Germans! And what's with the Sudetenland still belonging to Czechia? And like all of modern Poland was German land too, so might as well grab that! And Alsace-Lorraine was given to the French for no good reason too.
I feel like I actually need a /s here. But in making sure I got Alsace right I found out about the Alsace-Lorraine Soviet Republic which is pretty cool.
Factory workers went on strike, demanding higher wages; the Soviets (councils) raised wages by decree against the opposition of the factory owners. The Social Democratic Party leader in Strasbourg, Jacques Peirotes, then asked the French generals to send in their troops to restore order.
Why am I not surprised?
Edit: Also I really wanna play Hearts of Iron IV now...
Obviously I am being completely serious.
Monaco and Liechtenstein really do suck, though, as they aren't so much actual places where people live as they are mere tax loopholes, which are literally independent by accident. Liechtenstein in particular is known as a hub of organized crime.
Dont forget to give to Germany luxemburg, liechtenstein and austria, as long as the DDR is in power
Nationstates that share common languages are fake ~Brace
That's a four state solution. Edit: NVM I think that's Liechtenstein.
