In France, They Know the Answer to the Question, Is Government Meant to Rule or Serve?

In a letter to the editor on April 20, a reader of Le Monde complains of the fact that the département with the most old people in France is steadily losing

And why shouldn't he? After all,

one century ago, Creuse had 284,000 inhabitants, as compared with 124,000 at the latest census. It is in the process of desertification, which its representatives find very worrying, because many of its public services are threatened.

In other words, public services do not exist to serve the people and individuals. No, it's the other way around: the people exist to serve society's (or the government's) public services.

That's the kind of mindset you get when berthed and sheltered by the state from the cradle to the grave.

(George F Will has more on the European mindset;
Thanks to the Ashbrook Center)