French woes

France is once again on the brink of upheaval, as the government attempts to reform — ever so slightly — the country's socialist—like labor laws. At issue is the government's plan voted in on March 9 designed to help young people find employment. This plan contains a provision that would allow employers to dismiss young workers at any time during a two—year trial period, and it is this dismissal clause that has now become a heated point of contention. Opponents — who threaten a national strike and even hint darkly at the possibility of rioting — claim that the new law is unfair.

This is how bad things have gotten in France. Young people rely on government to find them a job and then demand that it be guaranteed by law. In true socialist fashion, they assume that employment is an entitlement. Apparently 68 per cent of the French agree.

When the French voted against the proposed European constitution last year — a blueprint, in essence, for a European Socialist Superstate — many people, especially in America, thought that they finally may be coming to their senses. But this is not quite so. The dirty little secret is that that many of those of who opposed it didn't do so because they thought the Superstate would go too far, but because it didn't go far enough. Among other things, they were concerned about insufficient employment guarantees.

These people really are in trouble

Vasko Kohlmayer   3 18 06

Update:

Thomas Sowell once again elegantly explains the roots of foolishness, at Real Clear Politics.

Why are students at the Sorbonne and other distinguished institutions out trashing the streets and attacking the police? Because they want privileges in the name of rights, and are too ignorant of economics to realize that those privileges cost them jobs. [....]

A leftist deputy has declared: "To create discrimination based on age transgresses fundamental rights!"

In other words, people have a right for other people to have to continue employing them, whether those other people want to or not. The "fundamental right" to a job over—rides the rights of other people when they are called "bosses."

The fact that many students can think only in terms of "rights," but not in terms of consequences, shows a major deficiency in their education. The right to a job is obviously not the same thing as a job. Otherwise there would not be a 23 percent unemployment rate among young French workers.

Hat tip: Todd Christian