The Future of France

by Russ Douthat

JANUARY 13, 2015 1:03 PM

So what is the point of all this blather - Sunday and today combined?

France was the leading mover and shaker in the creation of the "European idea", initially for very practical and historically rooted reasons - to "control" Germany - even as someone born in Germany, I was all in favor of that goal.

Intellectually, technologically and politically, France has always been a leader in Europe (and the world). Like Great Britain, it is still grappeling with the demise of its colonial empire and the "Grand Nation". For the past few decades France has also suffered from a certain scellorosis and "in-breeding" of its political elite.

France is vehemently secular in its approach to politics and the influence of religion in general, and Catholicism in particular, is and will be minimal. However, Christian social values play a large role in the implementation of "social market economies" throughout Europe - even "conservative" political parties in Germany and France would be considered "socialst" by US standards.

Ultimately the "Muslim" problem in Europe is an economic problem - if Muslim communities become integrated in terms of economic advantages, even if they do not "integrate" into western/christian values, then the propesity for jhihadist activities within Europe will decline.

Ultimately, as Mr Friedman indicates in his column today, the battle is more among different strains of Islam. Unfortunately, US foreigh policy has been instrumental in the spillover of that conflict.


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See
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/14/world/europe/germanys-history-resonate...
for an interesting counterpoint to Mr. Douthat's column.


Personally, as someone born in Germany, I was and am much more confortable with Germany being in France's shadow in terms of a Leadership role" in Europe. Ever since Germany's resurgence as an economic power in Europe since the eraly 2000's, and its dominant role in the Euro crisis, the often vicious claims that Germany was only bent on establishing its dominance by economic power, which it failed to accomplish with military force, even as western powers encouraged and even tried to shame Germany into assuming a more assertive role, has been very unsettling. In these situation a focus on Germany's recent history (understandably) quickly dominates the discussion, rather than the "long term view" taken by the exhibit at the British Museum.