A lost job and a confusing vision

Nicholas Sarkozy proposed austerity to save France and it cost him his job.

Oddly it was a Socialist Francois Hollande who is now France's new president after winning a majority of votes in his defeat Sarkozy last week.

The new leader of France, Socialist
Francois Hollande.

Sarkozy, from the conservative Union for a Popular Movement and had been the president since 2007, had gone into the election arguing for severe austerity measures to enable France to endure the tribulations of a tumbling economy.

Hollande, by contrast, had promised to re-negotiate the European Union’s "fiscal pact," which had set tight budget rules.

Sounding a little like most of the world’s conservative thinkers, Mr Hollande had gone the polls calling for a "growth pact", which he argued would stimulate stagnant economies and add new jobs.

Maybe French politics are different from those of other developed western nations and maybe they are not.

Just like here, for argument’s sake, they are inherently confusing – Sarkozy, who had been derided by many for his allegiance to the wealthy has worked to protect those of his social class – something he felt could be achieved through national austerity, instructing his key ministries to create appropriate plans. 

Mr. Hollande equipped with a sharper understanding of the French electorate, celebrated victory, saying a change was coming that would answer the desires of people with an end to austerity and the repair of “broken and burnt” France.

The intelligence of the masses is mostly a cause for celebration, but in this instance, it sadly reflects what author Charles Mackay discusses in his 19^th century book, “Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds”.

Austerity measures that simply solidify circumstances that favour a few and ignore the majority are distasteful and deserve punishment at the polls; a punishment handed out to Mr. Sarkozy.

Mackay's 19th
century book.

However, the platform of Mr. Hollande that promised a “growth pact” to stimulate the economy and create new jobs is a wonderful idea, but one which overlooks the reality that the world of tomorrow will not need growth, a stronger economy or jobs, rather the reverse.

A visionary leader able to stand comparison with history’s greats is urgently needed; a leader able to stand aside from those who, despite their protestations, are not able to rid themselves of the growth and consumption mindset.

That leader, whoever he or she might be, will help the people of the world understand and with charisma demonstrate the need to slow down global warming, we'll either have to put the brakes on economic growth or transform the way the world's economies work.

The solutions are not of the Hollande-type rather, they arise from understanding countless studies and undeniable scientific fact indicating we need to untangle the complexity of life and embrace a simpler and slower life.

by Robert McLean