Belgium weathered the economic crisis better than others

Two new studies released by Oxford University Press suggest that Belgium’s political mayhem may have actually helped the country weather the global economic crisis. “Changing inequalities & societal impacts in rich countries” and “Changing inequalities in rich countries, analytical and comparative perspectives” take a closer look at how Belgium faired comparable well to Germany in how it handled the fallout from the financial meltdown, especially its social systems.

Another study conducted by Antwerp University says that Belgium’s social security system withheld the economic pressures that many other European countries were unable to endure. While the gap between the rich and poor has grown across the continent, Belgium has been able to maintain stability, as seen in its minimum wage the health care system and labour market.

Incredibly, the 1.5 years Belgium went without a federal government may have prevented the country from descending into a social crisis. Due to the government’s inability to make cuts and take the austerity route, the country’s systems were left untouched.