According to a recent report of the International Labour Organization on the economical security indicators, the Belgian social system is sixth on the world list, immediately after Scandinavian countries. What are the origins and working features of this system? The article shows the steps and the fundamental conditions of the process of construction of the Belgian social model and analyses in detail the main working devises: pensions, unemployment grants, invalidity grants, family loans, paid annual leave, health care system, together with a description of the social services based on the principle of the granted minimum income and on the individual right of existence.