par Timperman, Sarah 
Référence Revue Belge d'histoire contemporaine, 28, 3-4, page (445-498)
Publication Publié, 1999
Référence Revue Belge d'histoire contemporaine, 28, 3-4, page (445-498)
Publication Publié, 1999
Article révisé par les pairs
| Résumé : | The new Belgian Socialist Party, the successor to the Labour Party, expected the workers of all levels to join the socialist movement in October 1945, at the Victory Congress. Actually, the BSP was willing to extend its electorate to the middle classes, which had hitherto mainly voted for the SCP (the Christian Party). Yet, these classes' integration into the socialist movement still had to cross several obstacles. The middle classes were not receptive at all to the socialist message and they definitely did not trust a so-called Marxist, collectivist and control-minded party. They resented the socialist distributive justice that would support the labourers to the disadvantage of the independent employees. As a government party, the BSP is thought to have introduced many unpopular measures such as the reduction of the benefits, the reinforcement of price control, the creation of an establishment law, and the increase of the cost of salaries as a result of the introduction of a Social Security system. The opposition to a rapprochement was strong among members of the middle classes but also among socialists. Many socialists were loyal to the Marxist doctrine and to the co-operatives and they therefore refused to protect the interests of the middle classes by means of party rules. According to them, the BSP had to remain dedicated to the labour class. That is why the socialist decisions in favour of the middle classes were limited to earlier electoral declarations. No concrete decisions were considered. The electoral defeat following the elections of June 1949, however, led the BSP gradually to modify its attitude. The socialist leaders realised that the defeat was partly to be blamed on their failure to draw on the middle classes. At the socialist congress of November 1949, the party declared it would pay more attention to the independent employees so as to break the clerical monopoly in the middle classes. The congress avoided the problem generated by the doctrine and decided to create a Counter of deposits and credit for the middle classes. A first branch office was established in 1950 in the province of Brabant. And there were several to follow. At the same time, the socialist commission of the middle classes increased its activities and refined the propaganda among the middle classes. There were workshops for independent workers and the needs of the middle classes found a voice in the socialist party programme. Also, several socialist proposals of law were meant to secure pensions for the independent workers. The new pension legislation, passed in 1954, included an arrangement for independent workers. The eventual rapprochement between the middle classes and the BSP might not have come about if it had not been for the decline of the Common socialist action and the decline of the co-operatives. The excellent electoral results of the BSP in 1954 were the most salient proof of the success of this policy. |
