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Why does pol'al life in the US seem to suffer from intellectual anemia? Partly at least, because historically, the US has been an Eldorado, the ideal society. For many generations of underpriveleged people all over the world, the 'Amer Dream' was simply the belief in heaven on earth. Hence the US became a messianistic society, with some overtones, on the one hand, of complacency, & on the other of fear of the Villain who would endanger the Promised Land. This mixture of self-righteousness & anxiety forms the basis for a solid conservatism, not only more widely spread than in any other country, but also more respectable-a paradox as such in the most dynamic & progressive nation of the world. Consequently, the security syndrome, if not permanent, can always easily be revived at any moment. Many groups, pol'al or others, respectable or secret, derive from it, for a variety of reasons & flourish on the suspicion of an anti-Amer conspiracy, whether inside or outside the US. Among them, the John Birch Society seems to be one of the most interesting, because the discrepancy between its modest numbers & considerable influence, expresses, by contrast, the extent to which it is representative of a basic feature of Amer soc behavior. AA.

A review of the literature -- both empirical & theoretical -- on modernization as defined by the classical Western model, which assumes that a uniform world of political democracies with free market economies will be the natural result of economic development. It is suggested that this model is too deterministic for non-Western countries because it does not distinguish between the demands of modernization & the preconditions for democratization. Many studies have found that there is no direct relationship between economic growth & political democratization. Modern political entities develop common characteristics, including the design of participatory structures & processes, but there is no evidence that the Western economic model should be adopted by all modernizing societies. 5 Figures. Adapted from the source document.

Following some general observations on the growing secularization of Western societies & after producing statistical data documenting the percentages of Muslim populations in Belgium & the Netherlands, three major issues are addressed from a Belgian perspective: (1) Islam bashing in the context of the recognition of freedom of religions & worldviews in a modern democratic society, (2) policies & attitudes toward visible religious symbols worn in public places; the banning of the hijab (the headscarf worn by Muslim females) in Antwerp public schools, & (3) the degree of separation between state & religion in Belgium. It is argued that the Islamic religion should not be associated with violence, terrorism, or oppression of women; Islam should be integrated on equal rights with other religions into the Belgian society, while emancipative & liberal movements within it should be actively supported. The banning of head scarves for Muslim teachers & students in Flanders is assessed from the broader perspective of similar policies, either implemented or planned, in France, Germany, & other European countries. Articles from the Belgian constitution are quoted to illustrate that the separation between state & religion in this country is incomplete; although the government adopts a neutral stance toward all worldviews, the state recognizes six official religions whose practice is partially supported with tax-payer's money & their clergy receive state pension; the favoring of the Catholic Church in this arrangement is pointed out. It is concluded on a general note that despite the secularization of the society, religious issues figure prominently in the public sphere. Z. Dubiel

Explanation is given to the dismal predictions of the Club of Rome studies concerning long-run consequences of economic growth & population increases, & why they are not translated into policy changes affecting those variables. The domestic function of economic growth, providing bargaining space for the solution of political conflicts, & the propensity of policy makers to give priority to short-run problems affecting their own position inhibit these policy changes. Focus is on the theory of W. Harich, (KOMMUNISMUS OHNE WACHSTUM? BABEUF UND DER CLUB OF ROME [Communism without Growth? Babeuf and the Club of Rome], Rheinbeck: Rowohlt, 1975) a philosopher from the German Democratic Republic who argued for rigid centralization of political & economic power at the global level. Although Harich did not include concepts such as `liberty', `democracy', & `constitution' in his theory, this can be compared to some of the political reactions to the challenge in Western Europe. Proposals made by Tinbergen & the Mansholt plan however are found to be more promising. 3 Figures. Modified HA.

Netherlands is in thirty years passed in a new kind of society: the heterogeneous society. This is due to trends such as individualization, secularization, growing migration and increased (value of) education. The differences between people are strengthened. This essay describes how the political landscape changes too. Parties try to speak new voter groups to. Adapted from the source document.

The consistency between Karl Popper's political theory & his philosophy is analyzed based on a comparison of his anti-utopianism in The Open Society and Its Enemies. Vol. I, Plato (London, 1986) & The Poverty of Historicism (London, 1960). The dependence of his model of the open society on his special understanding of deontological liberalism is discussed, with special attention to his weak rebuttal to the counterarguments of utopianists. M. Meeks

'It is undeniable that people in our current network and information society empowered and more independent than before. Are combined with the need to reduce the government deficit back, this leads to the classic welfare state slowly but surely turning into a participatory society. From anyone who may be asked to take responsibility for his or her own life and environment. 'Thus King Willem-Alexander in the most discussed part of his first speech from the throne. Prime Minister Rutte characterized the transition from welfare to society participation as a movement from the bottom up by citizens wanted and facilitated by the government. For this installment of the Symposium, we asked experts on the welfare state to reflect the transition indicated by the king. Romke van der Veen puts the development in the Netherlands in a number of major trends and then shows that we are at a crossroads where we can from different sides. Judith van der Veer discusses one of those sides: the transition from welfare to activation city. In the third contribution Flemish politician Mieke Vogels describes (Green, the Flemish green party) how they all late 90s tried to enter the participative society in Belgium and how the movement initiated by her reversed by subsequent ministers. Adapted from the source document.