Guess which country just loves chaos and disruption
Yup, in one. France.
Yet another poll of out Gallic chums, this one on attitudes to a forthcoming day of strikes, demos and general acting up which is slated for Thursday. Said strikes etc will affect transport, the post, schools and so forth, and is in protest against insecurity of employment (coming from the French public sector, 'that's rich' does not come close. Fonctionaires pretty well have jobs for life, short of murder or major fraud. I exaggerate only a little), purchasing power and what have you.
And how do the Plain People of France feel about this? They think it is a cracking idea - 46% actively support the planned protests, and a further 23% are sympathetic. A grand total of 12% oppose or are hostile. While la gauche (caviar or otherwise) is especially keen - 91% support or sympathise, so do some 41% of rightists.
The demographic breakdown shows women to be more militant - 49% support vs 42% of men. (Insert mental image of Delacroix's 'Liberty leading the people' here). Somewhat unexpectedly, the lowest level of support is among 18-24 year olds at 35%. The 75+ cohort is the most hostile at 11%. Among the other demographic oddities is the apparent 6% of Trots who are hostile. I can only assume this is because whichever rag they read has decided that this is ideologically unsound due to the participation of bourgeois elements or some such. Or, maybe the data is not entirely robust or respondents were being a tad situationist.
The nice people at CSA who conducted the poll have historic data on support for manifestations and the like, and previous highs have been 73% in April last year, 74% in October 2005, 82% in March 2004 and a positively mind-boggling 92% favouring a hospital strike in Jan 2000. At the other extreme, railway bods must have been quite hurt that only 32% supported their May '99 strike.
I hate to tell them that Sarko will not change one iota of policy in reaction to this, so they are wasting their time.
Yet another poll of out Gallic chums, this one on attitudes to a forthcoming day of strikes, demos and general acting up which is slated for Thursday. Said strikes etc will affect transport, the post, schools and so forth, and is in protest against insecurity of employment (coming from the French public sector, 'that's rich' does not come close. Fonctionaires pretty well have jobs for life, short of murder or major fraud. I exaggerate only a little), purchasing power and what have you.
And how do the Plain People of France feel about this? They think it is a cracking idea - 46% actively support the planned protests, and a further 23% are sympathetic. A grand total of 12% oppose or are hostile. While la gauche (caviar or otherwise) is especially keen - 91% support or sympathise, so do some 41% of rightists.
The demographic breakdown shows women to be more militant - 49% support vs 42% of men. (Insert mental image of Delacroix's 'Liberty leading the people' here). Somewhat unexpectedly, the lowest level of support is among 18-24 year olds at 35%. The 75+ cohort is the most hostile at 11%. Among the other demographic oddities is the apparent 6% of Trots who are hostile. I can only assume this is because whichever rag they read has decided that this is ideologically unsound due to the participation of bourgeois elements or some such. Or, maybe the data is not entirely robust or respondents were being a tad situationist.
The nice people at CSA who conducted the poll have historic data on support for manifestations and the like, and previous highs have been 73% in April last year, 74% in October 2005, 82% in March 2004 and a positively mind-boggling 92% favouring a hospital strike in Jan 2000. At the other extreme, railway bods must have been quite hurt that only 32% supported their May '99 strike.
I hate to tell them that Sarko will not change one iota of policy in reaction to this, so they are wasting their time.
Labels: France, L'exception française, Unions
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on Monday, January 26, 2009 at 11:37 am.
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What are the chances of that particular set of demonstrations turning violent? After rioting and civil unrest in Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Bulgaria and Iceland, it looks like revolting peasants are getting closer. Quick! Nail pieces of wood over the doors and windows!
I would give you very short odds on rocks getting hurled....
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