What makes a society resilient, and why isn't resilience enough on its own? Fellow Julien De Wit examines the four pillars of societal resilience and draws concrete lessons for Belgium and Europe.

A society that believes it is in crisis, is in fact in crisis. That's the opening claim of fellow Julien De Wit's new inspiration paper on resilience: a concept that comes up everywhere, yet is rarely defined with any precision. De Wit sets out to do just that. Resilience is not synonymous with stability, and certainly not a matter of clinging to what works. It is tension management: the capacity to absorb pressure, channel it, and give it direction without losing coherence. That capacity rests on four pillars: a shared narrative, the power to choose, security as a foundation, and infrastructure that spans generations.

But resilience alone is not enough. A society that merely endures, without ever reconsidering itself, eventually hardens. The structures that once provided safety become tomorrow's obstacles. That's why De Wit argues for a second capacity: innovation. Not as technological progress, but as the ability to question assumptions and renew institutions, even when they still appear to be working.

The paper firmly grounds this reflection in Belgium's own reality. Our country lacks neither capable leaders nor well-considered policy, De Wit writes, but rather the shared narrative without which collective action becomes impossible. Seven government-formation crises since 2007 make the point. At the same time, Belgium holds real assets: its position at the crossroads of European decision-making, its multilingualism, its internationalised economy, and its strong associative culture. The question is whether we will use these assets deliberately, or whether the comfort of the status quo will once again outweigh the courage to choose.

Drawing on his book De Comeback Code, this inspiration paper offers no blueprint, but an invitation to debate. Each section closes with a concrete policy implication, from multi-year budget legislation for education to reforming the state's own incentive structures.
An essay that makes you rethink crisis, resilience, and change, and that invites you to make your own choices.

Read Julien De Wit's full inspiration paper.