«Just like big cities often have their own peculiar neighborhoods -- Little Italy, Chinatown, Greek Town, etc. -- the EU has its own Little USSR. It's called France.»It’s not all bashing amusement. It gets at a critical flaw in the functioning of the economy, with discussion of even the smallest of changes becoming anathema to the public. It forces public officials to either give up any change or carefully speaking in euphemisms and secrete code.
An example:
«Recently, Jean-Marie Cavada, a well-known French MEP from the center-right who was formerly a popular TV presenter, went so far as to proclaim that Europe needs a "social economy for the market".»Charat concludes:
«This is especially worrying given France's leadership role in the European Union. And it must not be underestimated, since it threatens the very fundamentals of market-based economy. This counterproductive leadership was shown twice in recent weeks.»
«France has no interest in promoting free trade. So it promotes its own collectivist agenda, based on market control and the welfare state, as being the inspiration for the European social model.»
«In this political fight, France is a pivot because of its leadership [in the E.U.]. That is why, as Alain Madelin, former French minister of finances and historical leader of French classical liberals, would say, what France needs is a Perestroika. It is in the interest of Europe, and only free traders can start such a movement.»
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