Pave: Socialist Paradise In Decline: Vacation

Le jour 446 de Sarko

Le but de la politique que je propose n'est pas de maintenir stable le pouvoir d'achat, il est de l'augmenter. Le but, ce n'est pas la stagnation, c'est le progrès. Le but, ce n'est pas le minimum, mais le maximum.

[The goal of the policies that I am proposing is not to keep purchasing power stable, it is to increase it. The goal is not stagnation, it is progress. The goal is not the minimum, but the maximum.]

Sarko,
then aspiring candidat du pouvoir d’achat,
now Président de la République and pocket reformer
Ensemble (Paris: XO Editions, 2007)

NEARLY HALF FRENCH WILL NOT TAKE SUMMER HOLIDAY

July 31, 2008 (RFI) - Nearly half of all French people have decided to forego the most hallowed of Gallic traditions this year: August holidays. Some 42 per cent of the population say they will not take a summer holiday and blame a lower standard of living for not heading for the mountains and beaches, according to a study commissioned by the French Communist Party's paper l'Humanité.

Pardon, allow us a caveat. It is in the interests of the French Communist Party (Parti communiste français, PCF) to find such a finding. The Communists who continually run for the presidency and lose, have participated in only two Ve Republic governments (the first-term Mitterand cabinet and the Jospin** cohabitation cabinet, see Arnaud's comment below). A spent force (and this and here), the Communists have no record of social accomplishments, so the next best thing is to rob accomplished political parties of accomplishments. It is also in the PCF's interests that the rhetoric of the sorry lot of the French worker never be lessened, otherwise why elect the Communists? What hope the revolution?

That said, this is a survey of intentions, not a record of events. It is likely that many of the no-vacation responses are complaints and, come August, these respondents will be off to the beach or campground leaving their cares behind them.*

Polls show that declining purchasing power [and here] has become the principal concern for most French people, taking over from employment in Autumn 2007, and adding to the decline in popularity of President Nicolas Sarkozy, whose main election slogan was "Work more to earn more".

Restaurants and cafés have felt the penny-pinching by French consumers according to the UMIH, the national restaurant union, reporting that clientele numbers fell 20 to 30 per cent in July alone.

Hotels have reported a better showing, but vacationers are trying to bargain for hotel rooms at the lowest possible price, president Yannick Fassaert of the tourist association Gites en France told L'Humanité.

"Lowest possible price"? [Pause.] How radical. How unsporting. Where is yesterday's "economic patriotism"?

In fact, more than a quarter of all French save money to go on vacation, according to the study. And 56 per cent who are hitting the road are staying closer to home, due to rising petrol prices.

... The Communist Party takes a particular interest in the question because the right to paid vacations in France was granted by the country's first-ever left-wing government, the 1936 Popular Front which the party supported.***

A reach-back to 1936 is indicative of the bold retrospective thinking found among today's French Communists.

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* Cares such as Mamie et Papy. See also here, here, here, and here.

** Lionel Jospin (16.18%) lost to M. Le Pen (16.86%) and Jack (19.88%) in the presidential 1er tour in 2002 and retired for good from politics. He unretired to shill for the EU constitution, which was voted down by the French (57.26%/42.74%). He re-retired. He un-re-retired to present himself as a Socialist présidentiable in 2006, was quickly disabused, and re-re-retired.

*** And pointedly did not participate in (soutien sans participation) as association would sully Communist principles and compromise the forever-over-the-horizon revolution. Association might also lead to collegial sentimentalism, making any accompanying post-revolutionary score-settling awkward.

PFFT (What is this?): Bonnes vacances ! 1½ | Rayonnement français 0