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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Nadine Carroll who wrote (26865)	4/24/2002 10:45:21 PM
From: Dennis O'Bell	Respond to of 281500

There is a third taboo in France as well although this is one shared by most French politicians, from Le Pen to Chirac to Jospin, and most French voters, too. This is the taboo on the vigorous advocacy of liberal economic reforms—the elements of what the French call "Anglo-Saxon" capitalism. In fact, there have been liberal reforms in France, including privatizations—usually instituted quietly, by left-wing politicians—but not enough to shake France convincingly out of recession. One isn't allowed to say so in polite society, however, so unemployment continues to rise, without any explanation or apparent solution, and insecurity increases, bringing yet more votes for Le Pen. This third taboo is a reflection of the immense power that labor unions hold in France. Nothing, and I mean nothing of import can be accomplished if the unions are against it. What you wind up with is a kind of the worst of all worlds. The most significant "reform" of the Socialists under Jospin has been this disaster of the 35 hour work week. This the unions were for, since they got preferential treatment, but despite any rosy claims made at the outset, this malthusian idea has not lead to a reduction in unemployment at all, but it's costing everyone in increased taxes and loss of efficiency. The problem of insecurity (rise of crime) is really due to the fact that an effective police force costs a lot of money, but France doesn't really have the budget to attack the problem head on. And again, you can't solve crime purely with a law-and-order platform, there have to be economic incentives making it generally more profitable to do real work for a living than petty crime. It's really ironic, but our "horrifying" American system is in many ways more equitable than the French one. Here it is simply much easier to find a job. It's not a life of ease in France living on RMI; people don't do it because they prefer not working.