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Paul Krugman – Visionary

November 14th, 2005 at 8:01 pm by Cranky

Call it gloating. But I believe that France’s current misery gives us a rare teachable moment on the absolute failure of liberalism and other “visualize world peace” utopian platitudes.

To illustrate, let’s review the words of our favorite New York Times columnist and unapologetic leftist idealogue Paul Krugman:

Americans are doing a lot of strutting these days, but a head-to-head comparison between the economies of the United States and Europe – France, in particular – shows that the big difference is in priorities, not performance. We’re talking about two highly productive societies that have made a different tradeoff between work and family time. And there’s a lot to be said for the French choice.

First things first: given all the bad-mouthing the French receive, you may be surprised that I describe their society as “productive.” Yet according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, productivity in France – G.D.P. per hour worked – is actually a bit higher than in the United States.

Now, just for fun we’ll add in a recent column by the International Herald Tribune’s John Viconeur (Via No-Parasan!)

An Arab-French kid in Clichy-sous-Bois may not articulate it, but what rage it must create to hear he lives in the greatest, smartest, most fair country in the world, revered as Islam’s best friend in the West, from Algeria to Oman, and then have to deal with a French reality of racist scorn and rejection.

Not to mention the French state which, clothed as the ideal republic, runs the school, the bus and the MÃ©tro, owns the housing project, operates the job center, and fails, in relation to immigrants, on all those levels.

It’s true that France’s G.D.P. per person is well below that of the United States. But that’s because French workers spend more time with their families.

O.K., I’m oversimplifying a bit. There are several reasons why the French put in fewer hours of work per capita than we do. One is that some of the French would like to work, but can’t: France’s unemployment rate, which tends to run about four percentage points higher than the U.S. rate, is a real problem. Another is that many French citizens retire early. But the main story is that full-time French workers work shorter weeks and take more vacations than full-time American workers.

The point is that to the extent that the French have less income than we do, it’s mainly a matter of choice. And to see the consequences of that choice, let’s ask how the situation of a typical middle-class family in France compares with that of its American counterpart.

In the country of the 35-hour week, where the state is hardly the symbol of the work ethic or civic sense in the land of the continuous public service strike, administrative and school buildings have become the choice targets of the rioters’ Molotov cocktails. The republic’s social welfare payments are there, but accompanied by private-sector job creation so enfeebled and hiring discrimination so real that they turn any young person taking up the state’s offer to wield a broom or toilet brush into his neighborhood’s collaborateur.

But there are compensations for this lower level of consumption. Because French schools are good across the country, the French family doesn’t have to worry as much about getting its children into a good school district. Nor does the French family, with guaranteed access to excellent health care, have to worry about losing health insurance or being driven into bankruptcy by medical bills.

FranÃ§ois Bayrou, leader of the centrist group that with the neo-Gaullists makes up Jacques Chirac’s presidential majority, describes France as a “sick state, a state swollen into impotence” with “a democracy that doesn’t work well.” This means, he said, that “reality never enters political discussions.”

But asked why the riots were happening here, since France’s neighbors seemed to be escaping its misery, Bayrou offered a response that, like the answers of the other politicians he condemned, hid from the specifics of both responsibilities and solution:

“As long as French democracy doesn’t change,” Bayrou said, “these accidents are going to continue.” He left it there.

Fun!

UPDATES: Here’s a economic stat we can all enjoy; the price elasticity of Paul Krugman is real low.

Schedenfrog! Heh indeed!

Feisty: I assume you’re referring to the ones they didn’t abort.

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9 Responses to “Paul Krugman – Visionary”

Preston Taylor Holmes Says:
November 14th, 2005 at 8:09 pm
What an interesting blogsperiment!

I can see more of this being quite useful in the future.

The blended editorial – we’re setting the trends, baby.
Lawrence Says:
November 14th, 2005 at 9:23 pm
The “Blended Editorial”?! You might be on to something, Preston. How http://sixmeatbuffet.com/wp-images/smilies/icon_idea.gif
very French of you. It’s almost a play on French politics where they’re always talking out of both sides of their mouth.
Preston Taylor Holmes Says:
November 14th, 2005 at 9:34 pm
No… no… Cranky gets all the props, G.
canuck Says:
November 14th, 2005 at 11:13 pm
But there are compensations for this lower level of consumption. Because French schools are good across the country, the French family doesnâ€™t have to worry as much about getting its children into a good school district. Nor does the French family, with guaranteed access to excellent health care, have to worry about losing health insurance or being driven into bankruptcy by medical bills.

i swear, i want the drugs this man is on.
A Senior Administration Official Says:
November 15th, 2005 at 12:28 am
That France column was also the one where Krugman used the most advantageous possible stat — GDP per hour worked — to prove the French economy was competitive. How convenient to just ignore all those NOT working … at least until they start burning cars. Oops! All is for the best, however, as Krugman’s influence declines due to the NYT subscription wall — covered here.
Feisty Says:
November 15th, 2005 at 1:25 am
The unemployed French people spend quite a bit of time with their families compared to fully-employed Americans, I bet.
The Unabrewer Says:
November 15th, 2005 at 2:01 am
Call it gloating. But I believe that Franceâ€™s current misery gives us a rare teachable moment on the absolute failure of liberalism and other â€œvisualize world peaceâ€ utopian platitudes.

I’m rather proud of coining the term “Schadenfrog” to describe that phenomenon.
Rhod Says:
November 15th, 2005 at 6:32 pm
Not bad, Gordon, not bad at all. You seem more relaxed now. Mazelt…whatever.
Lee Says:
November 15th, 2005 at 7:26 pm
I still can’t believe the guy teaches at PRINCETON! I know that being liberal helps (a lot), but still, it doesn’t take an economics degree, let alone a PhD, to completely distroy his arguments.

Paul Krugman – Visionary

9 Responses to “Paul Krugman – Visionary”

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