Posted on 11/07/2005 10:12:48 PM PST by FairOpinion
Could the riots in France spell the beginning of the end of the European economic model?
Yet the outbursts were supercharged by an economic system that not only tolerates but actually fosters sky-high youth unemployment. In September, an incredible 21.7% of 15- to 24-year-olds in France were unemployed, compared to only 11% in the U.S. and 12.6% in Britain. France isn't alone -- other European countries, such as Belgium, Spain, Greece, Italy, and Finland -- also have persistent youth unemployment rates above 20%.
Such sky-high levels of idle youth are a by-product of the welfare-state mentality that's still pervasive across much of Europe. The idea is that government's main role is to provide a safety net for the population, in terms of jobless and health benefits. Generating growth and creating jobs takes a distinctly lower priority, resulting in high unemployment, especially among the young.
By contrast, in the U.S. economic model, rapid economic growth and low unemployment can help pull young people over racial and ethnic hurdles.
(Excerpt) Read more at businessweek.com ...
"One important lesson of the French riots is that the European economic model is leaving too many people behind, and that's not sustainable. "
(I forgot to include this too)
All work and no play makes Jacques less likely to riot.
They have nothing to strive for, the government just takes care of them. And this is where it can lead.
No way! You mean Hayek was right!?!?!
Good God, did you see those Reader comments? It's a commie flood over there! Should we Freep out and throw that columnist a lifeline?
I read that in France the Minimum Wage was twice that of the US.
This makes the Cost of employing an unskilled young worker way more than the Value.
Hence they don't get hired. They loll about in their ghettos, smoking hashish, listening to euro-rap, and now plotting their evening entertainment of burning cars.
Probably the cars of their own, fairly low income neighbors in the ghetto.
USA has been sending its jobs abroad, while the citizens in the USA are unemployed. There will be a price to be paid for this.
This is happening on purpose, very obvious.
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie.Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
bttt
The unemployment rate in the U.S. is currently 4.9%. In the state of Wisconsin where I live it's about 4 percent. In fact my part of the state is under four percent.
Posted by Vicomte13 to Fred Nerks
On News/Activism 11/07/2005 9:51:51 PM PST · 666 of 691
In France, employment is not employment at will. Once you hire somebody, after a probabtionary period that person essentially acquires "tenure" in that job and cannot be removed, except for cause. Economic needs of a company are NOT grounds for removal: a company desiring to lay-off workers due to economic recession must have its lay-offs approved by the Labor Tribunals, of whose judges a certain number (a third to two thirds) are appointed representatives of the Unions.
To hire a worker in France is, essentially, to marry him.
Further rigidities are built into the system besides the 35 hour work week, the 6 weeks paid vacation, and the various social insurance programs. Also, in the event of a layoff, the business must pay the employee for two years or so after termination. Also, employers are required to give a "13 month bonus", which is to say, to pay employees an extra month of pay as a bonus every year. This bonus is not paid as a lump sum at the end of the year, but is instead divided into paychecks and paid all year.
That is just a starting indication.
(Posting this here, might explain something.)
USeful phrase
It is Bush's fault. When we stopped buying French products due to their stabbing us in the back, the money dried up and they were forced to reduce their whine and cheese industry.
Is it Jacques rioting?
"They were forced to reduce their whine and cheese industry"
Actually, French wine is no longer competitive, either on price, or on quality.
From winemag.com, December 2004:
The last time you pulled the cork on a French wine, did you hear the scream? The French wine industry has been in free fall since the mid-1990s, a fall that accelerated in 2000 with the enormous influx of Australian wines into American wine shops. France—198,000 growers farming 1.6 million acres of vines—went from reigning king to the Avis of the wine world. The only problem is they don’t yet know how to try harder.
What went wrong?
In no particular order: erratic pricing, complacency, a fragmented industry, an inability to think beyond the next harvest, unreliable quality, an emphasis on tradition instead of innovation and a basic unshakeable belief that the producer, not the consumer, is king. With the notable exception of Champagne, wineries across France are closing or being taken over, and négociant firms are merging or liquidating stock. And in many countries of the world, France is losing market share.
Nor is the crisis over. In interviews with winemakers, exporters and brokers throughout France, the general consensus is that while plans are in the works, a resolution—a revolution—is still years away.
“Why does nothing happen? In France you spend your time around tables discussing things, you even get a consensus, and then it all takes time,” said Alain Sichel, president of the Bordeaux négociants association and of négociant Maison Sichel. “Yet everyone realizes fundamental changes need to be made.”
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