The best thing about France, according to Karl Lagerfeld lies in its history, and perhaps more precisely its artistocratic legacy. The problem is that apart from Karl, nobody in France seems to know how to accomodate with modernity, giving a sense of floating “jacquerie” and even more so, of decay. It is as if history would continue, without us…
“ En France on parle d’Ancien régime. Le mien n’est pas ancien, mais toujours d’actualité ”. Karl Lagerfeld, directeur artistique de Chanel
*In France we talk about Ancien Regime. Mine is not ancient, but still relevant
Coming back from London where the Scottish Referendum gave us an additional proof of the (paradoxical) strength of the British institutions, I was, as a French parisian girl, literally amazed. Not only did the British government engage in a highly hazardous political outcome but it managed to turn it into a real democratic success. In France, such a referendum seems impossible, political dismay is probably already too high and the popularity of the President too weak.
SO, what is the problem with France ? Why do polls after polls show a growing discontent and a low degree of self esteem, not mentioning the decay of the President’s splendor that François Hollande just completed?
Here are some ideas that France could consider before disappearing from the ongoing history of globalization.
- Language is not power (even soft), it’s culture.
Social Media, Hollywood and international exchanges are obviously driving the force of English as “the” common language. All English-speaking countries accomodate with the fact that all other countries tend to speak their language with a heterogeneous level of pronouciation and understanding. English language is flexible enough to accomodate with the Darwinism of the tongue.
2. God save the French economists
France has produced a great number of highly skilled and brillant economists. Thomas Piketty’s book on inequalities (600 pages +) is in every bookstore. Dominique Strauss-Kahn, one of my former professors at Sciences-Po has contributed to the IMF doctrine and action as nobody else. Jean Tirole, professor at MIT and Toulouse School of Economics is our best potential for the Nobel Prize. Almost as close are Esther Duflos, Emmanuel Saez or Olivier Blanchard.
What a A-List of talented personnalities. Why can’t they do something for the country ? Why did they all take a Green Card to the US ? It sounds like a veto to the disciplinary fiscal policy in Europe.
3. French know how to play a ball
The miracle that happened during the Worldcup of 1998 was all about diversity and team spirit. This model of integrating complementarities within a team and to make it work has never been understood by the French elites. Creating and debelopping global business that are competitive around the globe has nothing to do with the Ecole Polytechnique Curriculum. Integrating different senstivities, cultures and backgrounds in a single team is somewhere very low on the French CEO’s agenda. However, it is how globalization works.
4. Generations’ war : how to push the baby-boomers to the exit door
Almost all “grandes fortunes” were made in the 60s and throughout the 80s. Louis Vuitton, Pinault Printemps Redoute (now Kering), Publicis, Bolloré Group, share in common the same style of financial skills and a strong will to eradicate their competitors. Since the 90s, nothing really new happened. People just stayed in those companies and became older. New generations were banned from entering the labour market because of the economic slowdown, which means taht old people still work at maximum payroll conditions whereas young people are kicked out of the companies as soon as the CDD (short term contract) ends.
5. French startups delocalize and never come back
The real issue for France is to regenerate its ability to create and build large corporations from starups. It is a parenthood issue : how good are you to raise your children ? If you send them to a boarding school in Switzerland in early childhood, no surprise if they never come back when they are adult. Now replace Children by start-ups and Switzerland by Silicon Valley… All the public policy efforts should help design a more stable and attractive framework on the long term for these companies. Incentives matter a lot in regulation.
So, is there a conclusion, if any, about French depression ?
French depression seems more than ever like a chronic back pain. The one you get used to it until you realize that surgery is the only treatment left.
I suggest to my French fellow citizens to take a ticket to Moscow or to Nigeria to understand the value of their assets and realize that history doesn’t stop, it goes on…
