La adaptación de la retórica contrarrevolucionaria en Bélgica (1886-1893): la defensa social mediante el intervencionismo mitigado del Estado

Abstract

This paper analyses the discourse and reaction of Belgium conservatism to the wave of the mass strikes affecting the country during a key period marked by two events: the protests of 1886 that shocked public opinion; and the passing of universal suffrage in 1893. Accordingly, it explores the way in which these sectors interpreted the labour unrest and articulated a discourse and interventionism in line with that initiated by Germany in 1883 and which refers to the counter-revolutionary thought of Le Play. That said, this proposal links up with two major histeriographical controversies. Firstly, the polemic about the role of discourse in identity building and socio-political actions by means of the cultural construction of repertoires of arguments. Secondly, it refers to the debate on the continuity of policies and the formal types of arguments employed by counter-revolutionary groups to dismantle movements of a revolutionary or progessive bent.