Achiel Van Acker
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Achille Van Acker (8 April 1898 – 10 July 1975) was a Belgian politician who served three terms as the
prime minister of Belgium The prime minister of Belgium (; ; ) or the premier of Belgium is the head of the federal government of Belgium, and the most powerful person in Belgian politics. The first head of government in Belgian history was Henri van der Noot in 179 ...
between 1945 and 1958. A moderate from
Flanders Flanders ( or ; ) is the Dutch language, Dutch-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to culture, la ...
, Van Acker was a member of the
Belgian Socialist Party The Belgian Socialist Party (, , PSB; , , BSP) was a social-democratic political party which existed in Belgium from 1945 to 1978. During its time in office, a number of progressive social reforms were introduced. The BSP was founded by activists ...
(PSB–BSP) and played an important role in the creation of the Belgian
welfare state A welfare state is a form of government in which the State (polity), state (or a well-established network of social institutions) protects and promotes the economic and social well-being of its citizens, based upon the principles of equal oppor ...
after
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
.


Biography


Early life

Achille Honoré Van Acker was born into a
working class The working class is a subset of employees who are compensated with wage or salary-based contracts, whose exact membership varies from definition to definition. Members of the working class rely primarily upon earnings from wage labour. Most c ...
family in
Bruges Bruges ( , ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders, in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is in the northwest of the country, and is the sixth most populous city in the country. The area of the whole city amoun ...
, Belgium in 1898 as the youngest of 12 children. He only attended school until the age of 11. Despite entering the workforce, Van Acker read widely and joined several social associations in Bruges. At the outbreak of
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, he was refused by the
Belgian Army The Land Component (, ), historically and commonly still referred to as the Belgian Army (, ), is the Land warfare, land branch of the Belgian Armed Forces. The King of the Belgians is the commander in chief. The current chief of staff of the Land ...
because he suffered from
astigmatism Astigmatism is a type of refractive error due to rotational asymmetry in the eye's refractive power. The lens and cornea of an eye without astigmatism are nearly spherical, with only a single radius of curvature, and any refractive errors ...
. While the Germans occupied most of Belgium, Van Acker fled into the small section of unoccupied territory behind the
Yser Front The Yser Front (, or ), sometimes termed the West Flemish Front in British writing, was a section of the Western Front (World War I), Western Front during World War I held by Belgium, Belgian troops from October 1914 until 1918. The front ran alo ...
where he worked in various menial capacities. Mixing with Belgian soldiers during the war, Van Acker became involved in
socialist Socialism is an economic ideology, economic and political philosophy encompassing diverse Economic system, economic and social systems characterised by social ownership of the means of production, as opposed to private ownership. It describes ...
politics, developing a distinctive ideology based on moderate
social democracy Social democracy is a Social philosophy, social, Economic ideology, economic, and political philosophy within socialism that supports Democracy, political and economic democracy and a gradualist, reformist, and democratic approach toward achi ...
. After the end of the war, he returned to Bruges and joined the
Belgian Labour Party The Belgian Labour Party (, , BWP; , , POB) was the first major Socialism, socialist party in Belgium. Founded in 1885, the party achieved its first electoral breakthrough in the aftermath of World War I. It was officially disbanded after the Ger ...
(''Belgische Werkliedenpartij'', POB–BWP) and became active in socialist groups,
trade union A trade union (British English) or labor union (American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers whose purpose is to maintain or improve the conditions of their employment, such as attaining better wages ...
s, and
cooperative A cooperative (also known as co-operative, coöperative, co-op, or coop) is "an autonomy, autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned a ...
s. In 1926, Van Acker was elected to a position in Bruges'
city council A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, borough counc ...
and, in 1927, became a POB–BWP member of the Chamber of Representatives aged 29. In his early years in parliament, Van Acker developed particular expertise in
social security Welfare spending is a type of government support intended to ensure that members of a society can meet basic human needs such as food and shelter. Social security may either be synonymous with welfare, or refer specifically to social insurance ...
legislation. In May 1940, Belgium was invaded by Nazi Germany. Following the Belgian surrender and the start of the
German occupation German-occupied Europe, or Nazi-occupied Europe, refers to the sovereign countries of Europe which were wholly or partly militarily occupied and civil-occupied, including puppet states, by the (armed forces) and the government of Nazi Germany at ...
, the head of the POB–BWP Henri de Man announced the dissolution of the socialist party as part of a policy of collaborationism. Van Acker retreated from public life. In 1941, however, he rejoined the illegal socialist party and underground trade union movement under the ''
nom de guerre A ''nom de guerre'' (, 'war name') is a pseudonym chosen by someone to use when they are involved in a particular activity, especially fighting in a war. In Ancien régime, ''ancien régime'' Kingdom of France, France it would be adopted by each n ...
'' "Monsieur André" and travelled around the country making contact with party sections. At the
Liberation of Belgium The Liberation of Belgium from German occupation began on 2 September 1944 when Allied forces entered the province of Hainaut and was completed on 4 February 1945 with the liberation of the village of Krewinkel. The liberation came after fou ...
in September 1944, Van Acker emerged as the head of the POB–BWP's successor party, the
Belgian Socialist Party The Belgian Socialist Party (, , PSB; , , BSP) was a social-democratic political party which existed in Belgium from 1945 to 1978. During its time in office, a number of progressive social reforms were introduced. The BSP was founded by activists ...
(''Belgische Socialistische Partij'', PSB-BSP). In December 1944, while serving as a government minister, Van Acker implemented Belgium's social security system.


Prime minister

After the Second World War, Van Acker became Prime Minister of Belgium in four different cabinets and served as Minister of Labour and Social Services, Minister of Public Health, Minister of Mobility and Minister of Mining (which led to his nickname). From 1961 until 1974 he served as President of the Chamber of Representatives. He was named Minister of State in 1958. During Van Acker's first premiership, compulsory disability insurance and compulsory health insurance for manual and non-manual workers was introduced in March 1945 and from January 1946 onwards health insurance funds earmarked a special contribution that covered the costs of preventive open-air cures. With regard to work accidents, the Decree-Law of 20 September 1945 extended the law to domestic workers, while the Decree-Law of 13 December 1945 "legally ratifies the regulations for road accidents that have existed since 1942."HONDERD JAAR SOCIAAL RECHT IN BELGIË ARBEIDSBLAD 1886/1887 - 1986/1987
/ref> In addition, as noted by one study, "In the first organic unemployment scheme (decree of the Regent of 26 May 1945) the principle of a generalized right to unemployment was registered, without taking into account the possible needy situation of the unemployed person held." To improve health and safety in mines, a decree was introduced in December 1945 provididing for the compulsory use in dusty places of devices "capable of allaying or suppressing coal and stone dust." A number of laws were also passed from April 1945 onwards that liberalized entitlement to allowances for deportees of foreign nationality. An Order of October 1945 issued general regulations for the medical control of workers in industrial and commercial undertakings, public services and public utilities. Another order introduced that same month issued general regulations concerning personal equipment for health protection. Following a 1940 law that enabled homeowners wishing to begin reconstruction of their properties to apply for a "repair loan at a low rate of interest, an Act was passed in December 1945 that enabled them to acquire an interest-free advance on their compensation. That same month, a Supreme Council for Hygiene in Mines was established with the aim of furthering the progress of industrial hygiene. In February 1946, the formation of safety and hygiene committees was made compulsory. Titles I and II of general regulations for the protection of labour, dated 11 February 1946, "which constitute a codification of the Belgian labour protection legislation, were approved by an Order of the Regent on 11 February 1946." In September 1945, workers’ compensation was extended to household maids, and for accidents to and from work in December 1945. A Legislative Order of January 1946 regulating annual holidays covered all persons "bound by contracts for the hiring of services or by contracts of apprenticeship," and laid down the essential principles for the grant of paid holidays, "leaving scope for their adaptation to the special needs of the various branches of industrial activity." The first three cabinets led by Van Acker were short-lived because of the crisis pertaining to Leopold III which held Belgium in its grip from 1944 to 1951. Initiatives were taken by Van Acker's fourth cabinet to expand social spending on pensions, housing, employment, and education. Steps were also taken to reduce the workweek and to reduce the term of compulsory military service from 21 to 18 months. A 45-hour workweek was introduced in 1955, and a law was passed in 1956 that doubled holiday leave entitlement from 6 to 12 days. Earnings-related pension schemes were introduced for manual workers (1955), seamen (1956), and white-collar workers (1957).Growth to Limits. The Western European Welfare States Since World War II by Peter Flora As noted by one study, "The laws of 21 May 1955 (workers) and 12 July 1957 (clerks) take over the principles of the 1953 law with an extension. Every pensioner is entitled to a pension calculated according to the length of his career and at 60 per cent. (single persons) or 75 pc. (family pension) of the gross revalued earned wages." Allowances were introduced in 1955 to cover demolition and rehousing while pension contributions were made obligatory in 1956. An Act of June 1954 increased the minimum pension and introduced index-lining of for pension benefits, while an Act of July 1957 introduced a wage-related pension formula for white-collar workers. Under the 1955 Collard Act, municipalities could admit private schools only "after they had created public-sector ones and only where there a need for them was felt." New schools were also built, and in the 1956 budget, provision was made (for the first time) the purchase by the state of school supplies for "the benefit of pupils in primary and nursery-infant sections attached to state secondary education establishments." In addition, a law of March 1958 made public authorities responsible for the cost of transporting (where necessary) abnormal and similarly handicapped children to special schools. In 1957, an age allowance was introduced, and a law of April the 28th 1958 (which was later replaced by a law of April 16, 1963) established a social rehabilitation scheme for the disabled. Altogether, the various social reforms realised under Van Acker's fourth cabinet led him to be known as the father of Belgian
social security Welfare spending is a type of government support intended to ensure that members of a society can meet basic human needs such as food and shelter. Social security may either be synonymous with welfare, or refer specifically to social insurance ...
.


Later life and death

Van Acker died on 11 July 1975, at the age of 77.


Authography

*''Moederweelde'' (Bruges, 1926). *''Drie Sterren'' (Bruges, 1962). *''Puntdichten en Grafschriften'' (Tielt, 1968).


Honours

* Belgium: Minister of state, By royal decree of 23 December 1958. * Belgium: Grand Cordon in the Order of Leopold. * Belgium: Knight Grand cross in the Order of the Crown. * Belgium: Knight in the
Order of Leopold II The Order of Leopold II is an order of Belgium and is named in honor of King Leopold II. The decoration was established on 24 August 1900 by Leopold II as Sovereign of the Congo Free State and was in 1908, upon Congo being handed over to Belgiu ...
. * Knight Grand cross in the
Order of Orange-Nassau The Order of Orange-Nassau () is a civil and military Dutch order of chivalry founded on 4 April 1892 by the queen regent, Emma of the Netherlands. The order is a chivalric order open to "everyone who has performed acts of special merits for ...
. * Knight Grand cross in the
Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...
. * Knight Grand cross in the
Order of the Oak Crown The Order of the Oak Crown (, , ) is an order (honour), order of the Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. History The Order of the Oak Crown was established in 1841 by William II of the Netherlands, Grand Duke William II, who was also King o ...
. * Knight Grand cross in the
Order of the White Rose of Finland The Order of the White Rose of Finland (; ) is one of three official orders in Finland, along with the Order of the Cross of Liberty, and the Order of the Lion of Finland. The President of Finland is the Grand Master of all three orders. The ...
.


References


Bibliography

*


External links

*
Why 11 April 1954 Is Statistically The Most Boring Day Ever
Video that mentions Van Acker's 1954 election to Prime Minister as probably the most important event that happened that day. , - , - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Van Acker, Achille 1898 births 1975 deaths Ministers of state of Belgium Belgian Socialist Party politicians Politicians from Bruges Presidents of the Chamber of Representatives (Belgium) Prime ministers of Belgium Grand Crosses of the Order of the Crown (Belgium) Grand Crosses 1st class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany