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From: jankok@mcvax.uucp (Jan Kok)
Newsgroups: sci.lang
Subject: Re: Bilingualism: A negative viewpoint
Message-ID: <322@zuring.mcvax.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 20-Nov-86 03:40:26 EST
Article-I.D.: zuring.322
Posted: Thu Nov 20 03:40:26 1986
Date-Received: Thu, 20-Nov-86 23:24:32 EST
References: <783@ukecc.UUCP> <8273@watrose.UUCP>
Reply-To: jankok@zuring.uucp (Jan Kok)
Organization: CWI, Amsterdam
Lines: 36
Apparently-To: rnews@mcvax


In article <8273@watrose.UUCP> cctimar@watrose.UUCP (Cary Timar) writes:
>. . .
>Sure, there is some strain in Belgium between speakers of French and
>Flemish, but not as serious (well, it doesn't look as serious from here)
>as the previous Catholic-Protestant problems they had (in the United
>Netherlands).  Note that the Netherlands were divided by religion rather
>than language.
>. . .
It is generally accepted by scientists that the latter assertion is wrong.
However, it is not the main topic of this discussion so I will keep my
comment restricted to a few lines.
1. I would not compare present-day strain about French and Flemish with
what went on during the 16th century part of the Dutch independence war.
2. The then-Netherlands (today's Netherlands and Belgium) belonged to
Spain. The revolt started and was continued because of economic suppression
irrespective of religion (though taxes are much higher today).
3. That the protestant minority was severely persecuted by the Spanish
occupant was not the cause of the revolt, and the presecution was objected to
by all protestants, most catholics, and even the Spanish's king representative
in Brussels.
4. The tolerance of the catholic inhabitants was merely a pretext for
further suppression, and they suffered as much for it as the protestants.
5. The net result was that protestants and many others (one third of the
Antwerp population) were driven to the north that eventually became
independent.
6. Like every summary, this is a simplification which does not do justice
to all aspects of what went on then. I only object to the statement that
the 16-th century Netherlands were DIVIDED by religion.
-- 
Mail: Jan Kok, CWI (afd. NW), Postbus 4079, NL-1009 AB Amsterdam, Nederland
UUCP: jankok@mcvax.uucp
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   This week's concern goes to 
      Mr Rudolph E. Hirsch Ass, Dir
   who received a computer-produced letter that started with
      Dear Mr Ass,