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  • Complexity of governmental and federal organization

    Another venting thread. I am majorly pissed off at Belgium and its inherent tendency to make everything overly complicated. We have little over 10 million people living here, but we have, by far (at least to my awareness) the most complex structure of federal/stately organization there is....There's a reason why Belgians are considered to be experts in constitutional and organizational (sp?) law (i.e. team of Belgian specialists is helping to make the Iraqi Constitution)....we make things too fucking complicated so everything else is pretty much a breeze.

    Reason for this little ramble is the exam I'm taking in two days 'Staatsrecht' (Law and principles concerning the organization of a country and all of its governmental bodies (governments, courts, parliaments, elections, etc....).

    Basically we have a Dutch (Flemmish), French and German population. The Germans shut up most of the time, since they're a small minority anyways. But there's constant tension between the southern part of Belgium (Wallonie), which is french and the Flemmish, northern part.

    Basically we have three seperate governments for Flemmish, French and German concerning Cultural and Personal matters. (= Communities)

    Three seperate governments for economic matters: Flemmish, French and Brussels. (= 'Gewesten')

    We have a Federal government as well.

    And of course Brussels is a clusterfuck: federal authority for billingual institutions and whatnot, Community authority for monolingual institutions, Brussels City authority for city matters, but these are controlled by the Brussels 'Gewest'. Shared community authority for bi-personal (personal matters that are bilingual) matters through the parliament of the Brussels.

    -----

    This has been going on for over a century now, ever since Belgium was founded and its constution was formed in 1831.

    The french used to be the rich and the powerful, now the Flemmish are the economically more advanced (the french are drowning in unemployment, fraude, scandal and whatnot).

    Basically this means we have about 9 different parliaments, over 12 or something (even I lost count) governments on a NATIONAL FEDERAL level. All of these can pass their own Laws, which results in a gigantic spiderweb of regulations and allround BULLSHIT.

    ----------


    I foresee the demise of Belgium as it is within the next 20 years. The continued partition between the French and Flemmish going to continue and Belgium itself will just be one name for two differents countries.

    -----

    One very striking example of this is the so called 'federal solidarity tax'. Which means that per percent a certain area is under the average income per capita, it gets funding from the other areas.

    Now we flemmish work hard and our economy is still quite sound, while in the French part unemployment is high and they're not doing didilly SHIT about it!

    Listen to this:

    EVERY YEAR about 14 BILLION euros goes from Flanders to the French part of Belgium (with taxes and intrests this borders at about 20 BILLION EUROS).

    As if we weren't taxed highly enough already, this means about $1300 PER flemmish person (including me,when I'm going to draw my paycheck) goes to a French person every............................MONTH!


    How's that for solidarity!


    [/rant]

    Last edited by GodOfRhythm; 06-14-2006, 06:36 PM.
    You took too much, man. Too much. Too much.

  • #2
    I knew the situation in Belgium was .... somewhat complex, but when you write it all up like this, it sure is overwhelming! Boy, that's a mess. If you cleaned all this double (triple) redundancy out, the unimployment would probably sky rocket
    Henrik
    AUDIOZONE.DK - a guitar site for the Jackson and Charvel fan

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    • #3
      Tell me about it!

      It's safe to say things will never be on an acceptable level of complexity in this country ever again.
      You took too much, man. Too much. Too much.

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      • #4
        But you are blessed with good road bike riders, fantastic beer and quality chocolate
        Henrik
        AUDIOZONE.DK - a guitar site for the Jackson and Charvel fan

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        • #5
          Originally posted by GodOfRhythm
          EVERY YEAR about 14 BILLION euros goes from Flanders to the French part of Belgium (with taxes and intrests this borders at about 20 BILLION EUROS).

          As if we weren't taxed highly enough already, this means about $1300 PER flemmish person (including me,when I'm going to draw my paycheck) goes to a French person every............................MONTH!
          Ah, the wonders of socialism. And this is what a significant portion of the population of the United States believes we should strive towards?

          I've always thought these sorts of things had a sort of inertia and a natural cyclical nature. Namely, government will continue to pile on ever-more regulations and extract ever-more capital until such a time as either: a) the neighbors invade, depose the current government (along with their entire legal/regulatory system), or b) the people snap and revolt. Given that in most of Europe & North America armed revolutions are highly unlikely (and less likely to be successful) and external invasions an even more remote possibility, I've often wondered what force will dissolve the regulatory morass and allow a fresh start.
          Catapultam habeo. Nisi pecuniam omnem mihi dabis, ad caput tuum saxum immane mittam!

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          • #6
            sounds like Belgium could use a visit from an efficiency expert. Streamline things, remove duplication of process, consolidate function. Unfortunately, this would mean a lot of government employees would find themselves looking for work. But the savings could be put back into job creation. And beer.
            Hail yesterday

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            • #7
              Good grief! After reading all of that, I need another cuppa coffee.
              And I thought Texas was complicated!
              Seriously though, I had no idea what a maze the Belgium government/s are. Yikes!

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              • #8
                Originally posted by YetAnotherOne
                Ah, the wonders of socialism. And this is what a significant portion of the population of the United States believes we should strive towards?
                Exactly! I think its the nature of governments. They all become corrupt and oppressive.
                PLAY TILL U DIE !!!

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                • #9
                  Fascinating!
                  "Quiet, numbskulls, I'm broadcasting!" -Moe Howard, "Micro-Phonies" (1945)

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by RacerX
                    Fascinating!
                    Is that all you can say Spock?
                    My goal in life is to be the kind of asshole my wife thinks I am.

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                    • #11
                      Spock: May I say that I have not thoroughly enjoyed serving with humans. I find their illogic and foolish emotions a constant irritant.
                      "Quiet, numbskulls, I'm broadcasting!" -Moe Howard, "Micro-Phonies" (1945)

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                      • #12
                        (En)joy(ment) is an emotion.

                        Ya Vulcan hypocrite ya!
                        You took too much, man. Too much. Too much.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          wouldn't irritation also be an emotion?
                          Hail yesterday

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                          • #14
                            Hey I didn't write it!

                            Besides, Spock is half Vulcan

                            so
                            "Quiet, numbskulls, I'm broadcasting!" -Moe Howard, "Micro-Phonies" (1945)

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