Ted, France is considerably more left than America in terms of politics and culture, yet there is widespread poverty and little social and economic mobility, particularly among minorities.
First of all, France is not considerably more left than the US. Yes, it has what you would call socialistic aspects to it but politically, its always been right of center....which is only slightly less conservative than the US. Like the US, it has had a general as president for a period of time. Finally like Britain, there has always been a bit of class consciousness to France.
Now you tell me, is France not liberal enough, or is it just a matter of having competent (liberal) leadership?
Chirac=Bush=Sarkozy. They are all cut from the same cloth. If Chirac and Sarkozy were in the US, they would be Republicans. As for the French Arabs, France's relationship with Algeria is a long and complicated one. When it was convenient for France and she needed workers, she declared Algeria part of Metro France and encouraged Algerians to emigrate. When they were no longer needed, she wanted them to go back. They didn't and instead, settled in the suburbs of Paris and Marseille.
For many American black entertainers, France was a very open country but that has changed. Now France is probably one of the most racist countries in Europe......not overtly but its always there in the background. For the most part, the Arabs have been kept out of mainstream French life. Like American blacks of the 1960s, the Arabs are signaling they aren't taking it any more. The only reason the riots petered out this time is because its winter. Wait til summer.........of course, if Gustave is right and those two kids were killed intentionally, we won't have to wait. |
