Violent demonstrations by Languedoc wine-growers

This morning's television screens were filled with pictures of angry Languedoc growers sacking supermarkets and committing other acts of obstruction and violence. They are seeking help from the government to combat the squeeze from falling wine prices and rising costs of fuel and phytosanitary products.

I am willing to bet that none of the growers who are on my not so short list of those from whom I am happy to buy are demonstrating. In other words, most of these people are producing wine of a quality for which there is little market and they deserve to go to the wall. The problem is that successive French governments have a track record of giving in to violent demonstrators however stupid their demands. Sarkozy, who promised a rupture from previous practices, is no different. He has been subsidizing the fishermen for similar complaints (but at least their fish is worth eating) and is shaping up to do the same for the road transporters.

For those who read French, here is a link to an article in Le Figaro - http://www.lefigaro.fr/economie/2008/06 ... colere.php .

[David M. Bueker]

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

I thought we were not to get fooled again?

Michael

Unfortunately, this is the image that comes through so often abroad...

In fact, work days lost due to strikes in France is about the same as the European average.

However, demonstrators in France sure know how to play up to the media, the media sure love to lap it up, and the police sure love to stay in the sidelines as much as possible and not intervene (even when things are smashed, burnt, etc.).

This has led to things like a photo two years ago, during the social unrest in the banlieues, on the front page of the Herald Tribune of what looked like a civil war with the Eiffel Tower in the background...
This bit of media manipulation harmed tourism immensely that year.

As to the root of the problem, that would necessitate a long discussion over a bottle of wine or two... Some of the French see the State as responsible for their wellbeing, and feel that they are owed a certain number of things. And when they don't get them, they raise hell.
This is very alien to a North American mentality and, what's more, is inevitably due to change. Probably "dans la douleur".

The Common Agricultural Policy will be revised in 2012. There will surely be some epic demonstrations/riots then!!!!

Best regards,
Alex R.

Unfortunately, this is the image that comes through so often abroad...

In fact, work days lost due to strikes in France is about the same as the European average.

The broader issue of placing France in comparative perspective on strikes and social welfare policy is certainly interesting although I don't know if we want to get into it.

However, just sticking to wine, one doesn't see such violent protests by winemakers from other countries? Which you would put down to a) the historical reliance on the State in France and b) the historical reliance on dramatic protests for political change in France?

Unfortunately, this is the image that comes through so often abroad...

In fact, work days lost due to strikes in France is about the same as the European average.

However, demonstrators in France sure know how to play up to the media, the media sure love to lap it up, and the police sure love to stay in the sidelines as much as possible and not intervene (even when things are smashed, burnt, etc.).

From my perspective, the importance of pressure from "la rue" and the tolerance of, and often surrender to, violent protest is a major flaw of French democracy. Sarkozy has shown some signs of facing down non-violent pressure from "la rue" on pension and university reform but he seems as meek as a lamb before more violent protest.

On wine, the authorities and the industry seem to be groping towards a solution which will allow the creation of French industrial brands to compete with Australian, Chilean, etc. at the same time as encouraging quality orientated individual effort in the appellations. However, there will be no place in this scenario for people making plonk which does not meet the specifications of industrial producers and has to be sold in bulk at knock down prices or be distilled. I guess that most of the demonstrators fall into this category. I hope that they succeed neither in derailing reform nor in getting subsidies and fuel tax rebates, which you, Alex, as a French tax payer will have to pay for.

[David M. Bueker]

Alex,

From my work experiences in Europe, France has nothing on Italy when it comes to work stoppages. My comment was more about Sarkozy coming in all geared up for change & then making none worth talking about.

David,

I was all for Sarkozy. He is called "Sarko l'Américain" in France.
He is nervous, full of energy, doesn't like sham and B.S., is not from one of the usual fancy schools, etc.
Finally, one thought, here is someone with the cojones to shake up French conservatisms.

But, like many people I am disappointed by the whole Carla Bruni thing (his "bling-bling" side, the French say),
the strange measures he has proposed... and then gone back on (such as every French schoolchild "adpoting" a Jewish child killed
in the death camps in WWII), and the inability to counter deeply entrenched French dogmas of another age.

However, Sarko still has nearly 4 full years left to go.
Perhaps he will improve with age .

Best regards,
Alex R.

As a close observer of the French scene, I broadly agree with what you say, Alex. I am less bothered than you about Carla Bruni and my initial impressions of her as first lady are excellent; let us hope that she does not get bored and do a repeat of Cécilia.

What most irritates me about Sarkozy is his frequent and usually futile populism, e.g. promises to Mittal Steel's redundant workers, attempts to deflect blame on Brussels, pandering to French protectionist instincts and, of course, unwillingness to take on the culture of violent demonstrations.

I also think that the proposal for the government to appoint the public broadcasting head is a bad "bourde".

and the inability to counter deeply entrenched French dogmas of another age.

Alex,
Every society has its deeply entrenched cultural-political mythos and almost always such seems absurd viewed from an outsider's perspective. Witness the current brouhaha stirring here in the US following the reductio ad absurdum arguments put forward to justify the decision by SCOTUS to overturn the DC gun law yesterday. I imagine that most of the world press is still scratching their collective heads over how make sense of that decision.

And so it goes...
Mark Lipton