Achille Van Acker facts for kids

Achille Van Acker (born April 8, 1898 – died July 10, 1975) was an important Belgian politician. He served as the prime minister of Belgium three times between 1946 and 1958. Van Acker was a member of the Belgian Socialist Party and helped create Belgium's welfare state after World War II. A welfare state means the government helps its citizens with things like healthcare, education, and social security.

Biography

Achille Van Acker's Early Life

Achille Honoré Van Acker was born in Bruges, Belgium, in 1898. He was the youngest of 12 children in a working class family. This means his family earned money through manual labor. He only went to school until he was 11 years old. Even though he started working young, Van Acker loved to read. He joined many social groups in Bruges.

When World War I started, the Belgian Army did not accept him because he had astigmatism. This is an eye condition that blurs vision. While Germans occupied most of Belgium, Van Acker went to a small part of the country that was not occupied. There, he worked different simple jobs. He met Belgian soldiers and became interested in socialist politics. This led him to believe in a moderate form of social democracy.

After the war, he went back to Bruges. He joined the Belgian Labour Party and became active in socialist groups, trade unions (groups that protect workers' rights), and cooperatives (businesses owned and run by their members).

In 1926, Van Acker was elected to the city council in Bruges. The next year, at age 29, he became a member of the Chamber of Representatives. This is like a part of the country's parliament. Early in his time in parliament, he became an expert in laws about social security. Social security is a system where the government provides money to people who are retired, unemployed, or sick.

In May 1940, Nazi Germany invaded Belgium. After Belgium surrendered and the German occupation began, the leader of Van Acker's party decided to work with the occupiers. Van Acker stepped away from public life. However, in 1941, he secretly rejoined the socialist party and underground trade union movement. He used the nom de guerre (a secret name) "Monsieur André." He traveled around the country, connecting with party members. When Belgium was freed in September 1944, Van Acker became the leader of the new Belgian Socialist Party.

In December 1944, while serving as a government minister, Van Acker helped set up Belgium's social security system.

Achille Van Acker as Prime Minister

After World War II, Achille Van Acker became the Prime Minister of Belgium four times. He also served as a minister for different areas, like labor, public health, and mining. His work in mining even earned him a nickname! From 1961 to 1974, he was the President of the Chamber of Representatives. In 1958, he was named Minister of State, a special honor.

During his first time as Prime Minister, important changes happened. In March 1945, Belgium started offering required disability insurance and health insurance for workers. From January 1946, health insurance funds also helped pay for preventive health treatments. Laws were also passed to help people who had work accidents. For example, a law in December 1945 helped cover road accidents. Also, a new system in May 1945 made it easier for unemployed people to get help, regardless of their financial situation.

To make mines safer, a rule was made in December 1945. It said that special devices must be used in dusty areas to stop or reduce coal and stone dust. Laws were also passed from April 1945 to give more support to people who had been deported from Belgium during the war.

In October 1945, rules were made for checking the health of workers in factories and businesses. Another rule that month required personal safety gear for health protection. After a 1940 law helped homeowners rebuild their damaged properties, a new law in December 1945 allowed them to get interest-free money in advance for their repairs. That same month, a special council was created to improve health in mines. In February 1946, it became required to form safety and hygiene committees. Also, important laws about protecting workers were approved in February 1946. In September 1945, workers' compensation was expanded to include household maids and accidents happening on the way to and from work. A law in January 1946 set rules for paid annual holidays for almost all workers.

Van Acker's first three times as Prime Minister were short. This was because of a big problem called the Royal Question. This was a disagreement about whether King Leopold III should return to the throne after the war. This crisis lasted from 1944 to 1951.

During Van Acker's fourth time as Prime Minister, he worked to increase spending on pensions (money for retired people), housing, jobs, and education. Steps were also taken to reduce the workweek and shorten the time people had to serve in the military. In 1955, a 45-hour workweek was introduced. In 1956, a law doubled holiday leave from 6 to 12 days. New pension plans were started for different types of workers between 1955 and 1957. These pensions were based on how much people earned during their careers.

In 1955, allowances were introduced to help people with demolition and rehousing. Pension contributions became required in 1956. A law in June 1954 increased the lowest pension amount and linked pension benefits to inflation, so they would keep up with rising prices. Another law in July 1957 introduced a pension formula for white-collar workers that was based on their wages.

For education, a law in 1955 meant that towns could only allow private schools if they had also created public schools and if there was a real need for them. New schools were built. In 1956, for the first time, the government set aside money to buy school supplies for students in state primary and nursery schools. Also, a law in March 1958 made public authorities responsible for paying to transport children with disabilities to special schools. In 1957, an allowance for older people was introduced. A law in April 1958 created a social plan to help disabled people.

Because of all these social changes, Achille Van Acker became known as the "father of Belgian social security."

Later Life and Death

Achille Van Acker passed away on July 10, 1975, at the age of 77.

See also

In Spanish: Achille van Acker para niños