There is no democracy normally constituted, in which politicians would make false promises to workers employed in companies with no future; and yet this is the case, all too often, in France; particularly with Florange for at least the past ten years; all seriously minded people know that, in regions where there are no coal and iron ore, no port, the hot-rolling of steel has no future.
There is no democracy normally constituted, in which one would see the newspapers, radio stations and TV headlines occupied for weeks or months, by a social conflict having to do with fewer workers than the country’s new unemployed in half a day.
And employees who, for most of them, as it is the case with Florange, are not at risk of unemployment and have already been paid, for a long time now, to maintain a working tool that they all know will never restart.
In fact, it is happening, today, in France, because successive leaders of our country make a very grave error when they claim to be solving problems that are not within their reach. Forgetting to focus and discuss those they can address.
And here, the political, media and ideology issue, is clear: it does not have anything any more to do with the fate of employees of a steel plant.
The question is whether the left in power can now solve a problem that the right was not able solve.
It is probably best for many people if the answer to this question is no:
the right, of course to prove that it performed creditably. The left of the left also, to show that social democracy is only a pale and powerless copy of liberalism; the far right especially, to establish that democratic parties are obsolete. And also all those who, trade unionists and commentators, find there an opportunity, too rare, to be in the spotlight.
It is urgent to get out of this bind, where democracy has nothing to gain.
Because to the words « all incompetent » will soon succeed « all traitors » and « all rotten ».
It would therefore be the honor of the political class, of the political left and right, to take advantage of this pitiful story to do its own aggiornamento and make it clear to the country what the political power can, and cannot do, in a modern democracy.
It cannot maintain outdated jobs or unprofitable plants. On the other hand, it can help protect the standard of living of families thus losing their income, by financing training, retraining, research, and new businesses. It can do all this. And does it every day.
Therefore the state should explain what can be done in an open economy, which is a great deal. And put much more emphasis on the thousands of jobs created every day by businesses, through education given by the state and its officials, by the research it funds, the health and the safety it ensures.
That is what it is there for. To the left in power today to show that it fulfills its role better, or at least differently, than the right. The only democratic debate should be there, and there only.
j@attali.com