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Another Perspective
The Montebourg Option
Occupiers of the world, unite! Heading into Sunday’s primary runoff, France’s Socialists show the way.
(Page 2 of 2)
Mr. Montebourg, who married a princess in an old-fashioned Catholic ceremony, understands this better than they do. Not unlike his own father, who married an Algerian princess, thus demonstrating the potentiality of what some in France still call “republican integration,” the ability of the republic to bring people together in national concord under a meritocratic, free, and egalitarian set of principles, Montebourg senses the danger of Euromush.
But he does not draw the logical conclusion, which is that the answer to this danger is Eurosteel. He favors old-hat solutions, notably the nationalization of the financial sector, which is simply silly apart from having been done disastrously in the not-too-recent past — Martine Aubry’s dad, Jacques Delors, had to save the French economy from just such a solution when he was François Mitterrand’s Finance Minister; the truth is that neither man believed it would work but they went through the motions in order to convince the Socialists they were Socialists, even though Delors was of the Christian-Democrat background and Mitterrand, a monarchist in his youth, was his own sly fox.
Instead of saying the French version of ain’t no more difference between those rascals as between a nickel an’ a dime (which if you want to know is “tous pourri!”), Mr. Montebourg came out for Mr. Hollande. I lost a bet on that, but gambling is a little like investing. I would have thought he preferred Aubry due to her blue-collar social democrat side, seeing as how she is mayor of Lille in France’s north and thus a protégé of her old-school predecessor there, Pierre Mauroy. Also, he, I mean Montebourg, served as spokesman for Ségolène Royal, who is the mother of Hollande’s children, and he famously said Miss Royal’s only problem was her boyfriend. He was fired for that, but the power couple broke up. Or maybe they already had broken up. You can look it up. The key point, anyway, is that Royal comes from an austere right-wing family, the kind that can, given a few turns in a life, produce in its daughters the same values as those the republican hussar Montebourg sees in the mirror.
Since no one said anything real in these primaries, their significance lies in the evidence they provided for the persistence of significant nationalist currents in the ranks of the left. How Arnaud Montebourg capitalizes on the prestige he gained for championing these currents should shape his own political career, which still lies before him. For the business directly at hand, I guess everybody’s getting on the Hollande bandwagon — even his ex — because nothing beats a loser like a winner. Gambling is addictive, however, so I am putting my dough again on Aubry on Sunday. What the hell, you know.
Anyway, we too are surrounded on all sides by men and women of the centrist persuasion. We will wring our hands and sit on them, just like them, and then we will bail them out, though with what money only Mr. Bernanke can say.
About the Author
Roger Kaplan, a Washington-based writer, covers the Middle East and Africa (and tennis) for The American Spectator.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (11) | Leave a comment
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Joe| 10.14.11 @ 6:41AM
What an annoyingly clever screed.
Ironman| 10.14.11 @ 10:17AM
Not bad, not bad -- a little too clever by half, to tell the truth. But may I note that there was a very interesting interview in the Financial Times a day or two ago, I'm afraid I don't the link, with its retiring head, Jean-Claude Trichet. It's well worth looking up if you are interested in what the Europeans are doing. He says there is no retreat possible. Doing that will just make things worse. So they are stuck with bailing out their banks and countries that did not conform to the euro guidelines (deficit as percent of GNP, etc). But how they do that -- that is what the U.S. markets are waiting for. It would seem that even if they do not come up with the best solution -- and no one ever does in these things -- just having one and sticking to it should boost U.S. markets. It's the uncertainty that is causing all the fluctuations.
Anyway, thanks for the piece and, from a prudential point of view, I think you are implying tongue in cheek that it would be better for France and Europe to stick with these dull centrists.
Ironman| 10.14.11 @ 10:28AM
Sorry for the slip. Mr. Trichet is the retiring head of the European Central Bank.
Lucien| 10.14.11 @ 12:18PM
Pas mal du tout! I must say I rarely in American press encounter someone who can write about us in all our folly and self importance. Yet I would hope you will pay more care to Pres. Sarkozy who despite his manner has tried to make reforms, more surely than Chirac ever did. Alas le style c'est l'homme and he may be his worst enemy. Do not discount Marinne Le Pen. You see this year protests everywhere from right and left, tea party, occupy wall street, and the same in Europe. This could bring about a vote for the extreme right more important than her father could get.
Arthur Taylor| 10.14.11 @ 5:48PM
You may have a point, in writing that nothing real was said during this primary campaign, that the leading candidates largely confined themselves to generalities and made no concrete suggestions, but Montebourg, whom you appropriately identify as the interesting man here -- assuming there is an interesting future in France for the left -- was quite specific, notably when he challenged his two rivals with an open letter making three key points. Basically, he said the financial system, and notably the banks, should be nationalized. He follows this with a call for a "European protectionism" to defend the continent's social benefits systems and its environmental policies. Third and logically, he calls for a radical constitutional overhaul, in effect a "Sixth Republic", upgrading the parliament, somewhat downgrading the executive, making the judiciary "truly independent", and making the whole political system and its institutions transparent.
Naturalborn Texicanette| 10.14.11 @ 6:58PM
Answer to AARP....
http://www.amac.us/amac-was-fo.....to-aarp-2/
Audace| 10.15.11 @ 1:14AM
There are only six previous comments at this hour on this article.
Why?
It is not for lack of importance of the subject. It undoubtedly has to do with the source of the article.
The author needs to swiftly alter his writing habits and style or desist entirely.
This subject, the upcoming elections in France, is one worth coverage. Mr. Kaplan (the tennis goon, yes?) is not the one to do it.
Examples:
Bridget Bardot?
Antle's drinking partner?
kosher restaurants
old fashioned Catholic wedding ceremony
Ségolène Royal's boyfriend
Too many to list.
We need to be up to speed on what is occurring in Europe. Thus a more simplified, less stupefied writing style perhaps? Ever heard of simple clarity?
Rule 1:
Convey useful information -- succinctly.
POST American| 10.15.11 @ 7:20AM
---Great piece!
BTW, speaking of France ---and as we
deal with yet another member connected
with our modest circle coming down with
exotic cancer, undoubtedly sourced from
the infamous Salk POLIO shots of the 50's
thru 70s.
Recall reading, a couple of decades ago,
how in France some medical lab knowingly
sold HIV tainted blood---were caught, nearly
killed by the mob --and were put away for
life.
Think about that next time you get
pulled aside for some of those wonderful
Gates Foundation 'vaccines'.
AND---------------VIVA la France!
Arizona Bob| 10.15.11 @ 6:30PM
Very funny, keep it up. From my own distant memories of French politics, by the way, I can tell you that your man Mountainborough is not especially original, the hard left fringe of these folks always having complained about the overbearing power of the French presidency under the Gaullist constitution. Nationalization of banks is straight socialism, he's just reminding the comrades they have let down their own side. I like the Marilyn-Brigitte wink, I hope you agree with me that ours was by far the better actress, if theirs was the cuter tease. (I didn't say more beautiful I said cuter.) I didn't realize Miss B. had become a animal rights fanatic, but stranger things have happened.
The issue of issue for all Europeans is whether Europe can be a great power. If it can't, the next issue is, should our country -- France, Germany, England -- be a great power? Can we be a great power and still be in Europe, the entity centered in Brussels, or, if we want to be a great power, should we say good bye to all that? This is academic because no one except the hard right -- which throughout the "Union" has been gaining strength, as best I can see from the skimpy reporting on this -- will say goodbye to all that. So what do they do? Be good Europeans, even though the euro is making neighborly relations fraught, and pursue "great power" behavior on the side, as the Anglo-French did in Libya?
Big question. But you are on to something when you point out that the "national" left as represented by this Mountainborough person have some of the old great-power syndrome, even if they express it in the twisted politically correct ways of the left. They want a strong Europe, which is why they are openly for "protectionism". But do they have programs for dealing with the threats to Europe form outside? But do the conservatives -- the Sarkozy's, the Cameron's, the Merkel's, the Berlusconni's? I hope you will keep us informed on all that.
Insurance Jupiter | 10.18.11 @ 11:19AM
Clever and Funny, two things I like in my politics...