Well Jeroen, I think the Dutch sentiment towards Europe has to do with the fact that the Republic was very much related to the new trading system. The reason why the Republic survived was due economic reasons, so that explains probably why the Republic rather cooperated than fighted with the other major European superpowers, 3 wars with England which it provoked itself being the exeption.
However, Flags, national anthems etc. you have to be careful with. These are 19th century ‘Romantic’ inventions to promote nationalism. Belgium had The Guldensporenslag, the new kingdom of the Netherlands the Batavian myth. So the national symbols are not very historical anyway, they are more a product of 19th century invented traditions. And it changes all the time. During nazi-occupation, the Germans tried to bring the Flemish and the Dutch together by bringing back the topic of a “Groot-Nederland.” History can be used as a political tool as well. In the early days of the Belgian kingdom, historians didn’t even mention the fact that north and south were once very close.
The official name of YOUR country now is not “Nederland” but “Koninkrijk der Nederlanden”, in plural. When north and south were brought together again in 1815 it was called “Verenigd Koninkrijk der Nederlanden/The United Kingdom”. And while we are busy: your queen is “koningin der nederlanden”, our king is “koning der Belgen.” What’s the difference? Well, our king is – how strange it may sound – only chosen by the will of the people. Theoretically, the people should just inform the king with a note “get lost” so he could look after another job 😀 In the Netherlands, the queen is constitutionally a lot more powerful.
On the language issue I can tell you one thing: different language doesn’t mean a different culture. As much as I like the Netherlands, apart from the language, Flemish and Walloons have really more in common. The Dutch spoken in Belgium today is actually the language used in Antwerp, a bit like Holland became the cultural frontrunner in the Netherlands. So there do exist Belgians, and not only Flemish and Walloons. In fact, being Belgian is less artificial than the other two, because it has been united 250 years before its formal independence in 1830. Regionalism is not bad, but not in it’s current form which is related to extreme right.
One last remark. South Africa has actually 4 capitals. Parliament in Capetown, Gov’t in Pretoria, Supreme Court in Bloemfontein (?) and the national bank, thus economic centre, in Jo’burg. And ofcourse another example of dividing powers between multiple cities is the EU: Brussels, Frankfurt, Luxemburg, Straatsburg and a national capital.
On a side note, when did you take up law, Ben?
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