[andruby]

I grew up and lived mostly in Belgium. Only a year in the US and a few years in South Africa.

Belgium gets a lot of criticism for moving slowing, but it also rarely breaks crucial things. The system of >10 political parties has its flaws, but it's a lot less divisive than a 2 party system. It means compromise needs to be found, and that no 1 party has full control (slows things down but reduces corruption and critical errors imo). Purposely dumbing down the population or firing 10% of government employees in order to hide malicious acts (or make corruption easier) just aren't conceivable in Belgium.

[srean]

Appreciate your reply.

The only criticism of Belgium that I have heard are the horrors of colonialism under Leopold.

Its a picturesque country.

[andruby]

Thanks! As always, plenty of problems there too.

The colonization of Congo was indeed horrible. Inconsequential clarification: Congo wasn't actually a Belgian colony, it was Leopold's personal colony.

[srean]

Oh! I did not know that. So crazy.