Belgium has been without a government for a record 450 days but has managed to grow all the same. Can the absence of government be a boon? The term “anarchy” tends to be associated with war-torn nations in lawless parts of the developing world, rather than the genteel, waffle-scented environs of a prosperous western European country like Belgium. Yet, taken in its literal sense of the absence of government, Belgium – which has been unable to form a government for over 450 days (a world record) – is as anarchic as it gets.