During the first decades of its existence, the power of the state was distrusted in liberal Belgium. All inhabitants, regardless of their citizenship were indeed protected against abuse of power. In this period there was hardly any need for an alien policy. Aliens were de facto considered to be citizens. Belgium generously granted asylum to victims of state persecution. Even when unwanted aliens had to be removed, Belgian liberalism restrained the power of the state. They could choose the border where they were to be extradited, thus avoiding extradition to authoritarian regimes. At the same time a basic principle of twentieth century refugee policy - that of non-repatriation - was respected. Refugees were not returned to the state which persecuted them. The last quarter of the nineteenth century was a turning point in which a more intervening alien policy took shape. The seeds of the later protectionist policy were laid. The workers' protest of 1886 caused a regime crisis which stimulated the Catholic governments to intervene more strongly in society. The interventionist state started a reorganisation of society on a national base. Due to the deeper penetration of society by the state, Belgians increasingly came under the protection of the state, while foreigners were excluded from the state's benevolence. The new admission policy selected newcomers more thoroughly and the practice of border choice was abolished. Expulsion mostly equalled repatriation. For refugees, however, a very selective policy was developed. The police had to verify systematically that an expellee was no refugee. Several persecuted aliens were excluded from refugee protection because they adhered to subversive movements. A refugee had to be respectable in order to be granted asylum in Belgium. Only very few unwanted aliens were considered refugees. As a minimal concession they had free border choice.

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