Why did the Brabant Revolution fail to keep the Austrian Netherlands independent?

The Brabant Revolution (1789–90) failed to maintain the independence of the Austrian Netherlands primarily due to internal divisions and a lack of broad popular support.12

The revolutionary movement was fractured by conflict between two main groups:
* The Statists: A conservative faction led by Henri van der Noot that favored a loose confederation.32
* The Vonckists: A progressive faction led by Jean-François Vonck that sought more significant political reform.32

The Statists eventually gained the upper hand and outlawed the Vonckists, weakening the revolutionary government. Furthermore, the revolution was largely a middle-class affair; the peasantry, who felt little connection to the urban revolutionaries, generally remained supportive of the Habsburg emperor.321

When Leopold II succeeded Joseph II and offered to restore traditional rights, the lack of unified resistance allowed imperial troops to reoccupy Brussels easily in December 1790, effectively ending the short-lived republic.12