government. Leopold’s position as a Protestant monarch over a Catholic country did not seem to affect his actions in this regard, unless it could be used to his advantage in negotiations for his colonial aspirations.92 The population of Belgium in 1830 was three and a half million people. In the preceding thirty years it had transformed itself from an overwhelmingly agricultural economy to the strongest industrial economy after that of Great Britain. The costs, as we have seen, were extremely high in terms of the social fabric. The migrations to the cities where also accompanied by some migration to France and Holland. Most of this migration, however, seems to have been by artisans and merchants—those who could afford to leave. 93 The population density of Belgium at this time was second only to Holland, in terms of Europe. Again, there was no large scale attempt to emigrate. The vast number of unemployed and destitute stayed in Belgium. Why? Most of them did not seem to want to leave.94 By virtue of its recent creation, Belgium had no titled aristocracy, old or new, to be disrupted by the political and economic changes of its early years. But there was a pool of military officers and entrepreneurs available due to the industrial wealth created by its growing industrial middle class. These were men available for overseas adventures, should they present themselves.
92
Leopold I was protestant but considered religion something personal and not to be forced. There was emigration to the United States that was not of a governmental or commercial nature. See Torsten Feys, “The Emigration Policy of the Belgian Government from Belgium to the United States Through the Port of Antwerp 1842-1914” (M.S. thesis, University of Gent, 2003). 94 Most preferred to stay in Belgium, migrating especially to the cities which became greatly overcrowded. Some of this reluctance to leave can certainly be explained by the horror stories from those returning from Santo Tomas and Santa Catarina. 93
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