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Another French Street Party
Mar. 28th, 2006 08:03 am♠
To anyone who cares about Europe's future, the French demonstrations and street riots protesting the government's new labor law must be profoundly disturbing. It's the French against France -- a familiar ritual that mirrors Europe's larger predicament. Hardly anyone wants to surrender the benefits and protections of today's generous welfare state, but the fierce attachment to these costly and self-defeating programs prevents Europe from preparing for a future that, though it may be deplored, is inevitable. Actually, it's not the future; it's the present.
...The street protesters are given to much make-believe -- the illusion that if they march long enough and burn enough cars, they can prevent unwanted change.
-- Robert J. Samuelson, "The French in Denial" in The Washington Post
This seems as good an opportunity as any to get something down about the latest French riots - at least a white on white affair this time. Although the issues raised are more acute for France and Europe, it is not like America is above the economic strife. Our workers are used to having to accommodate market realities and globalization, but that does not mean there is a lot of contentment about it, in our increasingly inegalitarian economy. It is the central and ongoing question for liberal democracies: how to balance democracy and free markets.
**********
[April 10, 2006]
Chirac breaks down
xXx
To anyone who cares about Europe's future, the French demonstrations and street riots protesting the government's new labor law must be profoundly disturbing. It's the French against France -- a familiar ritual that mirrors Europe's larger predicament. Hardly anyone wants to surrender the benefits and protections of today's generous welfare state, but the fierce attachment to these costly and self-defeating programs prevents Europe from preparing for a future that, though it may be deplored, is inevitable. Actually, it's not the future; it's the present.
...The street protesters are given to much make-believe -- the illusion that if they march long enough and burn enough cars, they can prevent unwanted change.
-- Robert J. Samuelson, "The French in Denial" in The Washington Post
This seems as good an opportunity as any to get something down about the latest French riots - at least a white on white affair this time. Although the issues raised are more acute for France and Europe, it is not like America is above the economic strife. Our workers are used to having to accommodate market realities and globalization, but that does not mean there is a lot of contentment about it, in our increasingly inegalitarian economy. It is the central and ongoing question for liberal democracies: how to balance democracy and free markets.
**********
[April 10, 2006]
Chirac breaks down
