The shift is toward yellow, replacing the previous dominance of red
In recent news, a diffuse movement with the slogan "Block everything!" is currently rising in France, aiming to paralyze the country on September 10. This movement, known as "Block alles!", was initiated and coordinated by the trade union CGT.
The movement is characterized by a horizontal nature, where "anti-system" feelings are fed by corona discontent. Two-thirds of French people support the blockade movement, according to polls, a clear indication of the growing dissatisfaction among the populace.
The current revival is inspired by the Yellow Vests march of 2019 and is triggered by the announcement of Prime Minister François Bayrou to close budget gaps by freezing pensions, abolishing public holidays, and cutting jobs in the public sector.
The society wants to cut social benefits for the bottom 10% and immigrants, but leaves the wealth and inheritances of the top 1% untouched. This disparity in treatment has been a contentious issue, fueling the fires of discontent.
The unions warn of infiltration by far-right radicals but have nothing to counter them. The National Rally is benefiting from the current movement in France, without needing to claim it directly. Marine Le Pen is being fueled by the uprising.
Interestingly, the Greens have opportunistically joined Mélenchon's maneuver. Jean-Luc Mélenchon's "France insoumise" is calling for a "general strike". However, the movement lacks the political ability of older social movements that pursued humanistic and libertarian utopias.
The feeling of everything going down the drain is not limited to Germany; in French, it's called "morosité." Since the end of the "thirty glorious years," developed industrial societies have been experiencing political disillusionment, dissatisfaction with elites, and populist troublemaking.
Looking back at French history, we see that it is marked by various general strikes and mass demonstrations. In 1970, French sociologist Michel Crozier published the bestseller "The Blocked Society," criticizing the remnants of the Ancien Régime, overcentralization, statist bureaucracy, and meaningless hierarchies.
Interestingly, France's history also shows a shift from an agricultural society to an industrial and service-based society in the 1950s. In more recent times, French women were having children at an above-average rate after a century of demographic stagnation.
Notably, Claus Leggewie and Daniel Cohn-Bendit, a cultural scientist and retired Green MEP, have advocated for rational and humane migration and refugee policies for decades. Their book "Multikulti. Rules of the Multinational Republic" was published in an expanded edition in 2011.
The Fifth Republic of General de Gaulle broke with many old traditions of its predecessors. As the events unfold, it remains to be seen how this new wave of protest will shape France's future. Bayrou's gamble is putting the vote of confidence to the test just before the blockades, without negotiating possible majorities. Only time will tell if this approach will quell the rising tide of discontent or fan the flames further.
Read also:
- Impact of Alcohol on the Human Body: Nine Aspects of Health Alteration Due to Alcohol Consumption
- Understanding the Concept of Obesity
- Lu Shiow-yen's Challenging Position as Chair of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Under Scrutiny in Donovan's Analysis
- Tough choices on August 13, 2025 for those born under Aquarius? Consider the advantages and disadvantages to gain guidance
