Sarkozy criticizes Capitalism (French President)

[Drace]

Welcome the French Soviet Republika. He looks like his been reading Marx.
He also called for "deep reform"

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/BUSINESS/01/27/sarkozy.davos.bank.regulation/index.html

From the moment we accepted the idea that the market was always right and that no other opposing factors need be taken into account, globalization skidded out of control

[Havet]

I think it could probably be more accurate to say that "they" always acted as if corporations were always right rather than focus on the people, but hey, that's just me.

Anyway, he'll get my respect when he stops fucking around with internet freedom

[ComradeMan]

Is this capitalism's perestroika? LOL!!! Do they see that they are on the run? The cake's gone stale, the party's over....:D

[Demogorgon]

I think his words would be better translated as "ignore what I said in 2007 and reelect me in 2012 please"

[ZeroNowhere]

Um, he's not criticizing capital, and I don't see what that had to do with Marx. But OK.

[Chambered Word]

Welcome the French Soviet Republika. He looks like his been reading Marx.
He also called for "deep reform"

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/BUSINESS/01/27/sarkozy.davos.bank.regulation/index.html

From the moment we accepted the idea that the market was always right and that no other opposing factors need be taken into account, globalization skidded out of control



Incase you didn't know, useless and ineffective liberal capitalists like Obama and Kevin Rudd have taken the same position on capitalism. There's nothing Marxist about reforming the current system.


I think his words would be better translated as "ignore what I said in 2007 and reelect me in 2012 please"

That's the best explanation, I think.

[Dimentio]

Welcome the French Soviet Republika. He looks like his been reading Marx.
He also called for "deep reform"

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/BUSINESS/01/27/sarkozy.davos.bank.regulation/index.html

From the moment we accepted the idea that the market was always right and that no other opposing factors need be taken into account, globalization skidded out of control



The establishment of France, and especially the French conservatives, have never been able to forgive the Anglo-Americans that their form of capitalism became dominant. The French version of capitalism have always been more "etatist" and focused on the interests of the French bureaucratic elite (at least in their own eyes, there is an enormous difference).

Sarkozy isn't sounding like a communist at all. Rather like every other French politician. It is politically impossible to not sound like that in France since Charles de Gaulle's time. If a French politician would say that the French should have American-style capitalism, it would be like an American politician openly advocating social democracy or reformist socialism.

[RGacky3]

The establishment of France, and especially the French conservatives, have never been able to forgive the Anglo-Americans that their form of capitalism became dominant. The French version of capitalism have always been more "etatist" and focused on the interests of the French bureaucratic elite (at least in their own eyes, there is an enormous difference).


I think this is the most accurate statement, the French elite have always been a little bitter about loosing their empire and thus have a somewhat holier than though attitude toward anglo-american capitalism, berating it as immoral, even though their capitalism and imperialism has been just as brutal, not only that, but unlike the ango-americans, the french state seams to have absolutely no concept of freedom of speach.

But this does'nt supprise me, and as has been said, its politics, nothing more, just like Obama changing his political position all the time.

[Dimentio]

I think this is the most accurate statement, the French elite have always been a little bitter about loosing their empire and thus have a somewhat holier than though attitude toward anglo-american capitalism, berating it as immoral, even though their capitalism and imperialism has been just as brutal, not only that, but unlike the ango-americans, the french state seams to have absolutely no concept of freedom of speach.

But this does'nt supprise me, and as has been said, its politics, nothing more, just like Obama changing his political position all the time.

Its mostly a matter of linguistical dominance. The anger from the French bureaucratic establishment is that French isn't the lingua franca of the world, but rather English (ironic, since the Norman nobility tried to supplant English for French in England during the Middle Ages).

[Drace]

Right, the Marx comment was too much but he still differs from other politicians in his criticism. Obama and Bush would say something like "We are in tough time, you brave Americans. I will do my best to fix everything!"

Though this works too:


I think his words would be better translated as "ignore what I said in 2007 and reelect me in 2012 please"

[Qwerty Dvorak]

He's criticising Anglo-American capitalism with its focus on deregulation, faith in corporations to serve humanity and belief in absolutely efficient markets. This is not something new, Sarkozy has been speaking out against this type of capitalism for a while, and when the French got the internal market portfolio in the Commission he considered it a triumph over Britain and its economic model.

Sarkozy favours continental capitalism, which places a greater emphasis on regulation, welfare and protection of workers.