Since we are talking shop, I’d expect the French while accepting that change is inevitable, will manage the change better than the UK has.

In the UK we have simply let the big boys run amok (not only in the high street), they have huge political influence, particularly over Governments who take the view that if you have a massive dose of capitalism, then good things will follow.

The only good thing that has happened is the profit margins to the detriment of everything else.

Has the right got it wrong?

One mans definition of “right…”

My view is we need a form of capitalism as commerce is in our nature, some people would take that view as right-wing, but my view is capitalism, but not to the detriment of everything else, the environment, community, sustainability etc, which does bring accusations of being a lefty, because others vision of capitalism is the one in it’s current form which is totally unsustainable on so many levels.

If you are talking far right politics, then you only need to look at the situation in the US and among other things (birth certificates etc,)the debt crisis, there’s almost a state of denial about it.

As for the left, the Soviet union, state managed everything and ended up bankrupt in an arms race with the US, only the US are still in an arms race with a 638bn budget for defence, quite with I don’t know. If they carry on they could go the way of the Soviet union.

Left or right the argument is mainly about capitalism and how “managed” it should be.

LOL at the tag. We’d normally say “commerçants”, “boutiquier” also meaning narrow-minded git.

French economy and politics is to the left of the UK in the main.

Last thing I read was that Le Pen was doing worringly well…

Why “worryingly”? She says out loud what many think deep down and makes sure that the issues she champions aren’t ignored by the main parties.

“boutiquier” also meaning narrow-minded git

Napoleon was a cruel bashtard, was he not ? He certainly knew how to throw an insult at the English.

Edukator – Member
Why “worryingly”? She says out loud what many think deep down and makes sure that the issues she champions aren’t ignored by the main parties.

FN have some policies I agree with, but these are more then balanced out by the regressive and xenophobic core. Repealing the AME, the policy of ‘French first’ in employment/welfare/education, her support for the ridiculous minarets ban in Switzerland, references to the Islamification of French Society* (including alarmism over Sharia law), attacks on abortion rights and proposals for the death penalty and supporting the ban on the veil while oppposing the ban of religious symbols in schools.

*According to a survey conducted by OpinionWay, 90% of FN voters support that view that Islam is a “threat to the Republic”.

Whilst there might be a significant minority who support the FN in France, the opposition from the majority is overwhelming. This was beautifully illustrated in the second round of the presidential elections in 2002 when Jacques Chirac, despite being considered to be a crook by much of the electorate, received 82.21% of the vote to Jean-Marie Le Pen’s 17.79%. The FN’s support might have increased very marginally since then, but the opposition will still be overwhelming, solid, and reliable. No policies which solely originate from a chauvinist bigot and racist, should ever be considered to be worthwhile – there are plenty of political parties with democratic credentials to render those who rely on fear, hate, and ignorance, completely redundant.