Belgian’s Political Reconstruction after World War II: An Exemplary Case for the Normalisation of the Post-War Western-European State?

The Sorrows of Belgium provides a very rich and beautifully written account of Belgium’s transition from a war-torn society at the beginning of 1944 to a stable, independent democracy by the end of 1947. However, in stressing the level of restoration of the Belgian state and society after the war, Martin Conway often approaches the period of reconstruction somewhat teleologically, and this perspective does little to further a better understanding of the mechanisms at play during periods of regime change such as the period studied. This is a bit of a missed opportunity, as is made clear by comp... Mehr ...