Why France Matters Here Too

[marmar]

from MR Zine:



Why France Matters Here Too
by Rick Wolff


For many weeks now, the historic social change sweeping across France has drawn increasing attention globally. It should. A genuine, mass democratic upsurge has surprised all those who thought, hoped, or feared that such things could no longer happen in countries like France or the US. Millions of French people -- in left political parties, church, and student groups -- have accepted and cheered on the leadership of a unified trade union movement. They have recomposed and reinserted a powerful left into French politics. They are profoundly challenging President Sarkozy, his conservative political allies in both houses of the French legislature, and the entire twenty-five-year neo-liberal drift of economics and politics in France. Along the way, they have demonstrated a strength and cohesion that renders the existing French right an annoying small noise in comparison.

Depending on who counts, the French left has repeatedly mobilized between 1.3 and 2.9 million people into action in over 240 cities and towns across the country. Given that the US has five times the total population of France, the equivalent mass mobilization in the US would entail between 6.5 and 14.4 million. No political movement in US history has so far come close to such numbers of mobilized, active participants. This truly mass mobilization in France began with the general strike on September 7. That action garnered a public opinion poll of 70 per cent either "supporting" or "sympathetic to" the strike movement. That level of public opinion favoring the French strikers and demonstrators has held constant to this day despite escalating government and corporate threats, intimidations, and a defiant Sarkozy's barking about never compromising. France's "silent majority" is no longer quiet, thereby exposing the regime as a minority in power that seeks to maintain and exploit its self-serving political and economic positions.

The tension mounts with each passing week. So do the stakes. Behind the intense dispute over details of retirement eligibility, the government's austerity program, etc., there looms the more basic question of whether France's majority will continue to absorb the instabilities, inefficiencies, immense costs, and injustice of the country's capitalist economic system. .......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/2010/wolff261010.html

[stray cat]

1. For strong unions look to South Africa

[billlll]

2. strong unions? 90% overall, 94% heavy industry- Sweden 1990

That was most recent data I heard. Probably less now.

Knights of Labor, USA about 1885, wildly popular, even farmers joining, "so many applicants had to limit entry". Ended due to internal disputes IIRC. Gave us the secret ballot... Which is ignored in the inches hi partitions I see between voters some places. Unbelievable.

Wanted; list of some nations where unions banned - S korea?

BTW. BBC said poverty in S Africa now worse even than 1980. Sad. Verify?
Pls expand on strong unions there. Tks.