Saturday - July 28, 2007

An Incremental Step away from oblivion 

The Los Angeles Times has a very interesting story on the reforms championed by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, the nature of French society, and in all probability the likelihood of their success.

The word "entrepreneur" may have gone missing from the French spirit, if not from its vocabulary, but the new president, Nicolas Sarkozy, is determined to bring it back and has the legislature working overtime in a special session to do so.

His center-right government is slashing taxes and encouraging expansion of the 35-hour workweek. It's trying to mandate minimum services during France's frequent transportation strikes. In general, it's trying to make things easier and more profitable, particularly for the small and medium-size businesses that are the backbone of the French economy.

The changes Sarkozy seeks amount to a cultural revolution in a country that ousted its aristocracy in a bloody revolution in the 18th century and, in recent times, has had years of Socialist Party rule protecting its labor unions and workers' rights.

Many French entrepreneurs are ready for a storming of the economic Bastille, as it were.

"It is very, very expensive to run a company here, and some people think we're crazy to run a company in France," said Olivier Willkomm, 34, co-owner of OGK Art Design. "I am happy with Sarkozy's speeches about how we want people to work. This is really something new that we haven't heard in France for years."  More....

Author: The Machiavellian
Technorati Tags: France
Technorati Cosmos:
Technorati Watchlist:
Add this entry to: