THE “MODEL STATE” OF BELGIUM 

Cologne, August 6. Let us once again cast a glance upon Belgium, 
our constitutional “model state’, the monarchical E] Dorado with the 
broadest democratic basis, the university of the Berlin statesmen and 
the pride of the Kolnische Zeitung. 

Let us look, to begin with, at the economic conditions of which the 
much-praised political constitution only forms the gilded frame. 

The Belgian Moniteur—Belgium has her Moniteur—carries the 
following piece of news about Leopold’s greatest vassal: pauperism.* 

In the 
province of Luxembourg 1 inhabitant out of 69 receives support 

3 ” Namur 1 : 7 mi oka si i‘ 
% ” Antwerp 1 i ” ” 16 ‘i ” 
as ”  Liége 1 ” * ‘i 7 i‘ 7 
. ” — Limburg 1 " 7 : 7 i“ ‘ 
i ” Hainaut 1 ‘ " : 6 = : 
” Eastern 

Flanders 1 . . ‘i 5 ‘ sg 
sa ” — Brabant 1 a3 - 4 ” oe 
i ” Western 

Flanders 1 . _ ° 3 e , 

This growth of pauperism will necessarily be followed by a further 
increase in pauperism. All individuals who maintain an independent 
existence lose their civil equilibrium as a result of the assistance tax 
with which these poor fellow citizens burden them and they too 
plunge into the abyss of public charity. Pauperism creates pauperism 

* “Emigration aux Etats-Unis de ’ Amérique du Nord”, Le Moniteur belge No. 212, 
July 30, 1848, p. 2074.— Ed. 

at an increasing rate. To the same extent, however, that pauperism 
increases, crime increases and the life source of the nation itself, the 
youth, is demoralised. 

The years 1845, 1846 and 1847 offer sad documents on that 
score.” 

The number of young boys and girls under 18 years of age who 
were in judicial confinement: 

1845 1846 1847 
BOYS [essaiucecss restaseeineeateise 2,146 4,607 7,283 
OSES 6 ectadccdetecteatte a halesnct 429 1,279 2,069 
Sum: 2,575 5,886 9,352 

Sum total: 17,813 

Thus starting with 1845 there is an approximately annual 
doubling of the number of juvenile delinquents under 18 years of 
age. According to this ratio, Belgium would have 74,816 juvenile 
delinquents in the year 1850 and 2,393,312 in the year 1855, i.e. 
more than the number of young people under 18 years of age she 
has and more than half her population. By 1856 all Belgium would 
be in gaol, the unborn children included. Could the monarchy hope 
for a broader democratic basis? Equality prevails in gaol. 

Both types of Morison pill have been tried in vain on the national 
economy: on the one hand free trade and on the other hand 
protective tariffs. Pauperism in Flanders was born under the system 
of free trade, it grew and became stronger under the protective 
tariffs against foreign linen goods and linen yarn. 

Thus while pauperism and crime grow among the proletariat, the 
bourgeoisie’s sources of income are drying up as the recently 
published comparative tabulation of the Belgian foreign trade 
during the first six months of the years 1846, 1847 and 1848 proves. 

With the exception of arms and nail factories, which have been 
exceptionally favoured by circumstances, the cloth factories which 
maintain their ancient renown and the zinc production which 
compared to overall production is insignificant, the whole of Belgian 
industry is in a condition of decay or stagnation. 

With a few exceptions, there is a considerable decrease in the export 
of the products of the Belgian mines and metalworks. 

* The data on juvenile delinquency are taken from: Edouard Ducpétiaux, Mémoire 
sur Vorganisation des écoles de réforme, pp. 4-5.— Ed. 

The “Model State” of Belgium 335 

We quote a few examples?: 

First six months First six months 
1847 848 

LOUIS) iacesced Avdevitassendes 869,000 549,000 
PINION siiscessssceloens 56,000 35,000 
Cast tron wares .......... 463 172 
Tron, rails ..........0....06 3,489 13 
Wrought iron wares.... 556 434 
NAS nosed eoiornesttatonss 3,210 3,618 

Total: 932,718 588,237 

Thus the total decrease of these three types of articles for the first 
six months of 1848 amounts to 344,481 tons which is somewhat more 
than vee : , 

We come to the linen industry. 

First six months First six months First six months 

Linen yarn [in kilo- 
grams}... . 1,017,000 623,000 306,000 
Linen fabric . . . 1,483,000 1,230,000 681,000 

Total: 2,500,000 1,853,000 987,000 

The decrease of the first six months of 1847 compared with those 
of 1846 amounted to 657,000 kilograms, the decrease in 1848 
compared with that in 1846 amounts to 1,613,000 kilograms or 64 
per cent. 

The export of books, crystal ware and window glass has decreased 
enormously. So has the export of raw and dressed flax, tow, tree 
bark and manufactured tobacco. 

The spreading pauperism, the unprecedented hold that crime has 
over young people, and the systematic deterioration of Belgian 
industry form the material basis of the following constitutional 
gaieties: The pro-government journal Indépendance numbers over 
4,000 subscribers as it never grows tired of proclaiming. The aged 
Mellinet, the only general who saved Belgian honour, is confined to 
quarters and in a few days will appear before the Assizes in 
Antwerp.” The lawyer Rolin from Ghent, who conspires against 

* The figures are quoted from ‘“Exportations.—Marchandises belges”, Le 
Moniteur belge No. 213, July 31, 1848, pp. 2085-2087.— Ed. 
> See this volume, pp. 404-06.— Ed. 

Leopold in the interest of the Orange family and conspires against 
his later allies, the Belgian liberals, in the interest of Leopold of 
Coburg, this Rolin, the double apostate, has obtained the portfolio of 
Public Works. The ex-pedlar Cha-a-azal, Fransquillon,* Baron and 
Minister of War, swings his large sabre and saves the European 
equilibrium. The Observateur has augmented the programme of the 
September Day Celebrations”” by a new amusement: a procession, 
an Ommeganck General, in honour of the Doudou of Mons, the 
Houplala of Antwerp and the Mannequin Pisse of Brussels. The 
Observateur, the journal of the great Verhaegen, is perfectly in earnest. 
Finally, what compensates for Belgium’s suffering is the fact that it 
has risen to become the university of Berlin’s Montesquieus—of a 
Stupp, a Grimm, a Hansemann and a Baumstark—and that it enjoys 
the admiration of the Kélnische Zeitung. Oh happy Belgium! 

Written by Marx on August 6, 1848 Printed according to the newspaper 
First published in the Neue Rheinische Published in English for the first 
Zeitung No. 68, August 7, 1848 time 

* A Belgian name for an admirer of everything French.— Ed.