"Must be one of those Rerum Novarum un-American Catholic Reactionaries.
If you don't like the law of the jungle, move to France."
Scandinavian Lutheran here, pretty far from doctrinaire Catholic.
I personally know a number of middle-class, and working class French people. They no more resemble your MSM-driven view of France, than Teddy Kennedy resembles the average American. The Muslims in France are close to getting a 2x4 up the side of their heads.
The 'Law of the Jungle' is for animals, not for the citizens of a free republic.
I have wealthy relatives in Brazil, where a very small percentage of the population is very, very rich, and most are so poor they make Jamaicans look prosperous. Believe me, YOU DO NOT WANT TO LIVE IN A COUNTRY LIKE THAT. No matter how much money you have, YOU DON'T WANY TO LIVE LIKE THAT.
The era of "high paying, unskilled jobs" only lasted from the late 1940s until the early 1970s. This was a period when Europe and Asia had to reindustrialize, giving American workers (and companies) near monopolies on key industries. The folks in management had to buy off labor peace.
Besides, industrial employment has declined EVERYWHERE thanks to improvements in technology, even in CHINA.
Fourty years ago, my family lived in row houses, had one car and could barely afford to eat out once a month. They had "good paying factory jobs." Today, everyone in my family, even the minority without a college degree, has a nice home, at least two cars, and a higher standard of living than their parents/grandparents.
Brazil is a poor example, as it does NOT have a laissez faire capitalist system. It is more socialistic than the U.S. and even Canada. Actually, "corporatavist" would be a better word.
BTW: I have worked in France, and the blue collar French workers are some of the fattest, laziest people I have ever met.