Contra mundus
REDGallenger
Blaming the Committee for Public Saftey for everything is much to simple :p
The jacobins were actually highly successful at rebuilding France's economy, and because of their use of price controls people could actually eat, not to mention that their total war policies gave France one of the finest armies on the continent. Hence why as soon as they offed Robespierre the Thermindorian reaction didn't have any kind of clout because they immediately stopped the price control to serve their masters - and there was massive reaction.
Essentialy, this whole Sarkozy thing is because A. the socialists ran a terrible candidate and B. because the Communist Party of France has lost much of its influence to the far right - which elected Sarkozy.
The jacobins were actually highly successful at rebuilding France's economy, and because of their use of price controls people could actually eat, not to mention that their total war policies gave France one of the finest armies on the continent. Hence why as soon as they offed Robespierre the Thermindorian reaction didn't have any kind of clout because they immediately stopped the price control to serve their masters - and there was massive reaction.
Essentialy, this whole Sarkozy thing is because A. the socialists ran a terrible candidate and B. because the Communist Party of France has lost much of its influence to the far right - which elected Sarkozy.
I forget who the actual real Socialist person was.
Really the only reason I gave Royal notice was 'cause she was attractive.
Also the left in France have trashed the place and is being kept a float by other countries, Euros. Thats why in 2002 they switched from the Frank to the Euro along with other countries. While unemployment is around the same as us at is due to spike like what we see in Germany now.
Quote:
Since the re-election of Jacques Chirac to the presidency in 2002, the successive cabinets of Jean-Pierre Raffarin and Dominique de Villepin, have tried some moderately "liberal" approach to fighting unemployment: removing or weakening workforce legislation and lowering payroll contributions in order to stimulate employment.
When he was appointed Prime Minister in May 2005, Dominique de Villepin imposed one hundred day allowance on himself to implement policies for job creation. De Villepin has said that his policies will focus on "finding jobs where there are", in other words, helping micro-enterprises (businesses with fewer than 10 employees) that are struggling to expand due to financial disincentives and helping the unemployed back into work. The Government of Dominique de Villepin has implemented several measures to promote job creation:
* Financial incentives
o Income tax cut totaling 3.5 billion €.
o Encouraging unemployed young adults to work in sectors with labor shortages (i.e.: hotel industry, restaurants, etc.) by offering them a 1000 € tax cut per year.
o Offering a one-off financial reward of 1000 € to a long-term unemployed person who finds a job.
o Cutting taxes and Social Security contributions for businesses that hire apprentices.
o Cutting taxes and Social Security contributions for businesses that provide "face-to-face" services (i.e.: hairdressers at home, helping the elderly, childcare).
o Removing a "fine" for businesses that fire seniors.
* Creation of new employment contracts
The French Government has found it necessary to introduce new types of contracts to help those who are most likely to be themselves unemployed, especially young adults.
*
o The "First Employment Contract" (or CPE in French, meaning Contrat Première Embauche) concerns businesses with more than 20 employees who would need to hire young adults less than 26 years old. The two beneficiaries of this new employment contract will be employers and young adults. Employers will pay less Social Security contributions for 3 years and will be able to dismiss their employee at will for the first two years of the contract. Young adults will benefit from the "CPE" as they will gain working experience in their chosen field. In the event of a dismissal, the employee will receive government assistance and small financial compensation from their employer.
o The "New Employment Contract" (or CNE, meaning Contrat Nouvelle Embauche) concerns micro-enterprises (business with less than 20 employees). It rewards employers who want to rapidly expand the size of their business by reducing Social Security contributions[citation needed], eliminating financial disincentives to growth[citation needed] and by reducing the amount of paperwork associated with hiring employees[citation needed]. The first two years of the contract are to be considered as a test period, during which the employee is exempted from unfair dismissal cover and will receive government assistance in case of dismissal. Once the two year test period has lapsed, the employee will become a permanent full-time worker
* Other measures
o Reducing administrative procedures and paperwork associated with hiring more people for micro-enterprises.
o Encouraging unemployed and unqualified young adults to work in the army to learn new skills.
Left-wing parties and unions have criticised Dominique de Villepin's policies because they believe that jobs created will be insecure and poorly-paid. Recently, under severe protest from left-wing parties and unions, Dominique de Villepin withdrew the CPE.
[edit] Budgetary reform
Deficit of France between 1996 and 2005 (Billions of euros)
Deficit of France between 1996 and 2005 (Billions of euros)
The conservative governments of Jean-Pierre Raffarin and Dominque de Villepin, since Jacques Chirac's election in 2002, have had to face increasing budget deficits for the State and Social Security budgets. In 2004, Jean-Pierre Raffarin introduced legislation to reform the French Social Security system and to cut costs, thereby reducing its deficit. In both cases, this government had reduced taxes or contributions. The government also increased defence spending.
The government and its supporters contend that longer-term prospects of the economy demand that the retirement age should be raised, unemployment and retirement benefits should be cut, and that the national health insurance regimes should be reformed to cut costs.
Opponents, mostly from left-wing parties but also, to a lesser extent, from the Union for French Democracy (a centrist party in the ruling coalition), contend that the proposed reforms are not good for the country and thus rightly opposed by the population. According to them, Raffarin's reforms and spending choices hit hard on working-class people and those preparing the future of the country, such as scientific researchers, while the government squanders public money on special interests through subsidies and tax cuts. They also contend that the alleged tax cuts are, in fact, effective transfers of spending from national to local taxes. In March 2004, Raffarin was dealt a severe blow in regional elections.
In 2001, the French Parliament passed the "LOLF" (Loi d'orientation sur les lois de finances), a law which greatly reformed the way the budget was passed, executed and audited. The implementation of LOLF is phased, and the main dispositions will first be applied in 2006. LOLF imposes that spending should be allocated to identifiable and auditable "missions", which better feedback to those who voted the budget about the efficiency of spending. It is yet too early to gauge the efficiency of this law.
When he was appointed Prime Minister in May 2005, Dominique de Villepin imposed one hundred day allowance on himself to implement policies for job creation. De Villepin has said that his policies will focus on "finding jobs where there are", in other words, helping micro-enterprises (businesses with fewer than 10 employees) that are struggling to expand due to financial disincentives and helping the unemployed back into work. The Government of Dominique de Villepin has implemented several measures to promote job creation:
* Financial incentives
o Income tax cut totaling 3.5 billion €.
o Encouraging unemployed young adults to work in sectors with labor shortages (i.e.: hotel industry, restaurants, etc.) by offering them a 1000 € tax cut per year.
o Offering a one-off financial reward of 1000 € to a long-term unemployed person who finds a job.
o Cutting taxes and Social Security contributions for businesses that hire apprentices.
o Cutting taxes and Social Security contributions for businesses that provide "face-to-face" services (i.e.: hairdressers at home, helping the elderly, childcare).
o Removing a "fine" for businesses that fire seniors.
* Creation of new employment contracts
The French Government has found it necessary to introduce new types of contracts to help those who are most likely to be themselves unemployed, especially young adults.
*
o The "First Employment Contract" (or CPE in French, meaning Contrat Première Embauche) concerns businesses with more than 20 employees who would need to hire young adults less than 26 years old. The two beneficiaries of this new employment contract will be employers and young adults. Employers will pay less Social Security contributions for 3 years and will be able to dismiss their employee at will for the first two years of the contract. Young adults will benefit from the "CPE" as they will gain working experience in their chosen field. In the event of a dismissal, the employee will receive government assistance and small financial compensation from their employer.
o The "New Employment Contract" (or CNE, meaning Contrat Nouvelle Embauche) concerns micro-enterprises (business with less than 20 employees). It rewards employers who want to rapidly expand the size of their business by reducing Social Security contributions[citation needed], eliminating financial disincentives to growth[citation needed] and by reducing the amount of paperwork associated with hiring employees[citation needed]. The first two years of the contract are to be considered as a test period, during which the employee is exempted from unfair dismissal cover and will receive government assistance in case of dismissal. Once the two year test period has lapsed, the employee will become a permanent full-time worker
* Other measures
o Reducing administrative procedures and paperwork associated with hiring more people for micro-enterprises.
o Encouraging unemployed and unqualified young adults to work in the army to learn new skills.
Left-wing parties and unions have criticised Dominique de Villepin's policies because they believe that jobs created will be insecure and poorly-paid. Recently, under severe protest from left-wing parties and unions, Dominique de Villepin withdrew the CPE.
[edit] Budgetary reform
Deficit of France between 1996 and 2005 (Billions of euros)
Deficit of France between 1996 and 2005 (Billions of euros)
The conservative governments of Jean-Pierre Raffarin and Dominque de Villepin, since Jacques Chirac's election in 2002, have had to face increasing budget deficits for the State and Social Security budgets. In 2004, Jean-Pierre Raffarin introduced legislation to reform the French Social Security system and to cut costs, thereby reducing its deficit. In both cases, this government had reduced taxes or contributions. The government also increased defence spending.
The government and its supporters contend that longer-term prospects of the economy demand that the retirement age should be raised, unemployment and retirement benefits should be cut, and that the national health insurance regimes should be reformed to cut costs.
Opponents, mostly from left-wing parties but also, to a lesser extent, from the Union for French Democracy (a centrist party in the ruling coalition), contend that the proposed reforms are not good for the country and thus rightly opposed by the population. According to them, Raffarin's reforms and spending choices hit hard on working-class people and those preparing the future of the country, such as scientific researchers, while the government squanders public money on special interests through subsidies and tax cuts. They also contend that the alleged tax cuts are, in fact, effective transfers of spending from national to local taxes. In March 2004, Raffarin was dealt a severe blow in regional elections.
In 2001, the French Parliament passed the "LOLF" (Loi d'orientation sur les lois de finances), a law which greatly reformed the way the budget was passed, executed and audited. The implementation of LOLF is phased, and the main dispositions will first be applied in 2006. LOLF imposes that spending should be allocated to identifiable and auditable "missions", which better feedback to those who voted the budget about the efficiency of spending. It is yet too early to gauge the efficiency of this law.
What I diden't post was there energy, which is in good shape unlike ours or poverty rating which is 6% for them and 18% for us.
77% percent of there country power comes from six nuclear plants. As for labor the job hours are going to increase to 45-50 range in the coming years due to high coast, which is odd since they are secure on most needs. Though most of there money comes from:
Agriculture - products: wheat, cereals, sugar beets, potatoes, wine grapes; beef, dairy products; fish
Exports - commodities: machinery and transportation equipment, chemicals, iron and steel products; agricultural products, textiles and clothing and perfume
Imports - commodities: crude oil, machinery and equipment, chemicals; agricultural products
