One Belgium or two?

Whether you think culture is real or not, culture matters. In the case of Belgium, language and relative prosperity matter a great deal. Prosperous, free, long-lived Belgium is pondering its continued existence. Read these two recent articles. 

Why do some Belgians want to become French?

With Flemish Nationalism on the Rise, Belgium Teeters on the Edge

The power and draw of a common language seems to be at the core of this situation. Els Witte, a Belgian historian, is quoted in the NYT article as stating, "A language is a culture. In Belgium the two cultures know very little about each other because they speak different languages. There are singers known in one part, not in the other. Television is different, newspapers, books." It's prompted me to add several books to my Amazon Wish List (which means I'll begin to understand the phenomenon in couple of years when I get around to reading them. My queue is long.) If you've read any of these, please contribute,

Handbook of Language & Ethnic Identity

Languages in a Globalising World

Language and Identity: National, Ethnic, Religious

The Politics of Language: Conflict, Identity, and Cultural Pluralism in Comparative Perspective

I understand the problem of language. I know how it feels to be in the dark in the midst of a conversation of foreign speakers. However, this is a country that's been an entity since 1831. What percentage of Belgians are at least bilingual? How different are Walloon and Flemish cultural practices? 

Relative wealth and social position also play a role. The prosperous Flemish desire more autonomy and relief from what they perceive to be social welfare at their expense. Absolute living standards are never as powerful as comparative living standards. 

How much does it matter if Belgium divides? In his book The European Dream: How Europe's Vision of the Future Is Quietly Eclipsing the American Dream, Rifkin discusses how the EU extends its sovereignty, while at the same time recognizing local cultures within nation states and giving them voice. In summary - going above the nation state and going below the nation state. It appeals to me as an interesting way to circumvent the problems presented by the nation state. Currently there's only one body like the EU, though. Furthermore, it may not matter if Belgium divides, economically, since the subdivisions would still be part of the greater European market.