Student riots in France

[XT]

@John Mace

compared to 71% of Americans, 66% of Britons, and 65% of Germans.

I’d say this is a good indication of who has more of a foot in reality.

-XT

[MEBuckner]

@Rune

Stupid frogs are becoming an embarrassment, not to speak of economic death weight, for the rest of the EU. At least the krauts finally seem to getting their act together.

Moderator’s Note: Rune, please don’t use ethnic slurs on the SDMB.

[gitfiddle]

From this NY Times article:

Opinion polls indicate that the French see globalization as a threat, not an opportunity. A sweeping survey of people in 22 countries released in January found that France was alone in disagreeing with the premise that that the best economic model is “the free enterprise system and free market economy.”

In the poll, conducted by the Program on International Policy Attitudes at the University of Maryland, only 36 percent of French respondents replied yes, compared with 59 percent in Italy, 65 percent in Germany, 66 percent in Britain, 71 percent in the United States and 74 percent in China.

Similarly, when the French polling institute Ipsos last fall asked 500 people between the ages of 20 and 25 the question “What does globalization mean to you?” 48 percent answered, “Fear.” Only 27 percent said, "Hope."

Disdain for what is called the “Anglo-Saxon model” sometimes becomes confused with residual criticism of America’s projection of power around the world.

[astorian]

Sadly, it appears the protesters and strikers have won. The French government has backed down, and is now going to try to BRIBE businesses to hire more people.

Oh well, I hope those French students who took to the streets are happy now in the knowledge that, “I don’t have a job, I may never have a job, but at least I can never be fired from the job I’ll never get!”

[clairobscur]

@astorian

Sadly, it appears the protesters and strikers have won. The French government has backed down, and is now going to try to BRIBE businesses to hire more people.

And then? It’s better to provide a financial incentive to companies hiring people with few prospect to find a job (who, it is to be hoped, will then learn some skill) rather than hand these people money while they stay unemployed. Actually, I rather support this concept.
Unskilled people don’t have much chance to find a decently paying job in a globalized environment. There are IMO only two options :

-Subsidizing these people in some way or another so that they can have a decent life, and as much as possible meanwhile trying to train them so that they acquire useful skills (useful as long has the technological advance, infrastructure, etc… we benefit from still give an edge to even only moderatly skilled people).

-Let society split into two categories. Have nots who’re trying to compete with thrid-world nation workers, with the obvious consequences like unstable and low-paying jobs. And have, who are accumulating a larger and larger share of the wealth.

Since my conception of society is based on solidaity rather than invidualism, I strongly support the former option.

[gitfiddle]

Just for a change, I found this article in TIME Magazine’s European edition today. They paint a different picture of what just about all other Anglo-Saxon news agencies have been showing as the failing French Model.

If you have the time, take a look .