France in Declinism

International Herald Tribune | October 2, 2003 | John Vinocur

[marron]

The article gives me the impression that France still doesn't get it. They see that their influence in the world is slipping, and they still see that as a function of power. If they can just convince the Russians to join, if they can just get control of the EU, if they can just find a way to counter-balance the US...

But without a moral vision to back it up, its just power for power's sake, and their influence is then limited by the geopolitical realities of France's relative lack of it.

If France wants to matter on the world stage, it needs to find its moral vision, it needs to appoint moral men to positions of power, it needs to behave as if it understands that there are moral issues in play that go beyond whether it is Total or Exxon who drills the next Iraqi well. There are moral issues that go beyond whether the most important ideas are discussed in English or French. If France matters it must be because of the strength of her arguments, and the moral force of her vision, that people in Vilnius or Bucharest would be discussing ideas born in Paris rather than ideas born in Chicago. Or Midland-Odessa.

Which language they discuss them in doesn't matter. The ideas matter.

France elected a man to office who was known to be corrupt, and they went on to back a homicidal maniac in his war with the US. No amount of power politics can win back the moral influence they threw away. We can sympathise, we have had corrupt presidents lead us into misguided wars, this isn't strictly a French problem, it is the human condition. But there is a way back, and the way back is to turn around, throw the sleazeball out of office, and try to re-introduce a sense of morality to their public discourse. It will pay dividends far beyond their borders and far beyond the relative strength or weakness of their military forces. But then they must be prepared to back up that vision with French blood and courage. And to unite with like minded allies to do the same.

If your entire foreign policy is wrapped around obstructing the US, you really have no policy worthy of the name.