Belgian Labour Party

Belgian Labour Party

The Belgian Labour Party, called Belgische Werkliedenpartij (BWP) in Dutch (English translation: Belgian Workers' Party) and Parti Ouvrier Belge (POB) in French, was the first socialist party in Belgium, founded in 1885.

History

In April 1885, a meeting of 112 workers took place in a room of the café "De Zwaan" on the Grand Place in Brussels, at the same place where the First International had convened, and where Karl Marx had written the Communist Manifesto. At this meeting the Belgian Labour Party (POB or BWP) was created. Several groups had been represented at this meeting, among which also the BSP of Edward Anseele. The members were mainly craftsmen and not workers from industrial centres (with the exception of Ghent). When drafting a programme for the new party, it was feared that a radical programme would deter workers. On that basis it was decided that the word socialism would not be mentioned in the name of the party, a point of view which was also defended by Cesar De Paepe (1841-1890). Before 1919, the district system at Belgian elections made it almost impossible for the Labour Party to get parliamentary seats in Flanders, and the Ghent socialist leader, Edward Anseele, was elected from Liège. After 1919, universal male suffrage and proportional representation greatly enhanced the party's parliamentary strength and it participated in several governments.

After the second world war, most of the BWP/POB officials joined to found the Belgian Socialist Party.

Notable members

* Camille Huysmans
* Henri De Man
* Paul-Henri Spaak, one of the Founding fathers of the European Union
* Emile Vandervelde
* August Vermeylen

ee also

* Politics of Belgium
* Progressive Party (Belgium)
* Christene Volkspartij

References

* [http://www.lsp-mas.be/marxisme/2005gesarbbew2.html Inleiding tot de geschiedenis van de Belgische arbeidersbeweging]
* [http://users.skynet.be/historia/BWP.html First Program of the BWP]
* Th. Luykx and M. Platel, Politieke geschiedenis van België, 2 vol., Kluwer, 1985
* E. Witte, J. Craeybeckx en A. Meynen, Politieke geschiedenis van België, Standaard, 1997


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Belgian Socialist Party — The phrase Belgian Socialist Party may refer to: * The Belgian Labour Party, which was the first Belgian socialist party. * The historical unitary Belgian Socialist Party BSP PSB, that divided into French speaking and Dutch speaking parties in… …   Wikipedia

  • Russian Social Democratic Labour Party — The Russian Social Democratic Labour Party, or RSDLP ( Российская Социал Демократическая Рабочая Партия = РСДРП ), also known as the Russian Social Democratic Workers Party and the Russian Social Democratic Party, was a revolutionary socialist… …   Wikipedia

  • Party Chair — is the chairman of a political party. His or her position differs from country to country.BelgiumIn Belgium the chairman of a political party is the mightiest person within the party, controlling appointments etc. After the Prime Minister of… …   Wikipedia

  • 2nd Congress of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party — The 2nd Congress of the RSDLP (Russian Social Democratic Labor Party) was held during July 30–August 23 (July 17–August 10, O.S.) 1903, starting in Brussels, Belgium (until August 6) and ending in London, because Belgian police forced the… …   Wikipedia

  • Labour-Management Relations — ▪ 1995 Introduction International Developments.       For most of the industrialized market economies, the outlook brightened as 1994 progressed, and inflationary pressures proved manageable. Unemployment, however, was forecast to rise to 8.5% in …   Universalium

  • Belgian Senate — Dutch: de Senaat French: le Sénat German: der Senat 53rd legislature, ordinary session 2010 2011 Type Type …   Wikipedia

  • Belgian Chamber of Representatives — Dutch: Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers French: Chambre des Représentants German: Abgeordnetenkammer 53nd legislature, ordinary session 2010 2011 Type …   Wikipedia

  • Workers Party of Belgium — The Belgian Workers Party is also sometimes used as the name of the Belgian Labour Party that existed prior to World War II (when it was re founded as the Belgian Socialist Party) and that after the foundation of the Comintern was faced with a… …   Wikipedia

  • Progressive Party (Belgium) — The Progressive Party of Belgium (French: Parti Progressiste) was a progressive Liberal party which existed from 1887 until 1900.HistoryAfter the defeat of the Liberal party in the general elections of 1884 the doctrinarian faction continued to… …   Wikipedia

  • Belgian Congo — Infobox Former Country native name = Congo belge (French) Belgisch Kongo (Dutch) conventional long name = Belgian Congo common name = Congo continent = Africa region = Congo country = Democratic Republic of the Congo status = Colony empire =… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”